Rules are made to be followed, signs are meant to be obeyed, and don't even get him started about computers and mobile phones. *Starred Review* At 59, Ove is a grumble Gus of the first degree. Though Ove's antics occasionally feel repetitive, the author writes with winning charm. The debut novel from journalist Backman is a fuzzy crowd-pleaser that serves up laughs to accompany a thoughtful reflection on loss and love.

But every time he tries to off himself, he's interrupted-first by his new neighbor, the pregnant Parvaneh then by Parvaneh's clumsy husband, Patrick Anita, the wife of Ove's former best friend Jimmy, Ove's overweight neighbor Adrian, the neighborhood mailman and finally a mangy feline Ove calls 'Cat Annoyance.' Ove continuously pushes his demise from one day to the next, and, as time passes, these characters slowly weave themselves into his life, offering Ove a chance at rebirth. After his handicapped wife dies and he is forced to retire from his job, Ove decides he's ready to leave the world behind. In this Swedish bestseller, Ove is a lovably miserable neighborhood curmudgeon-think a cross between Up's Carl Fredricksen and Parks and Recreation's Ron Swanson-who spends his days inspecting his community and criticizing others, judging each by how closely he follows rules and his choice of automobile (Ove cannot reason with BMW drivers). All of which will change one cranky old man and a local residents' association to their very foundations. So when one November morning a chatty young couple with two chatty young daughters move in next door and accidentally flatten Ove's mailbox, it is the lead-in to a comical and heartwarming tale of unkempt cats, unexpected friendship, and the ancient art of backing up a U-Haul. But must Ove be bitter just because he doesn't walk around with a smile plastered to his face all the time? Behind the cranky exterior there is a story and a sadness.

People call him 'the bitter neighbour from hell'. He has staunch principles, strict routines, and a short fuse. He's a curmudgeon the kind of man who points at people he dislikes as if they were burglars caught outside his bedroom window.

Book called a man called ove