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A man called Ove

by Fredrik Backman

A grumpy yet loveable man finds his solitary world turned on its head when a
boisterous young family moves in next door. Meet Ove. He's a curmudgeon, the kind of man
who points at people he dislikes as if they were burglars caught outside his bedroom window.
He has staunch principles, strict routines, and a short fuse. People call him the bitter neighbor
from hell, 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. 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. All of which
will change one cranky old man and a local residents' association to their very foundations.
In the mornings, he walks around the territory of the village, where his house is
located. Any disorder makes him furious – an abandoned cigarette butt, an improperly parked
car, toys scattered in the sandbox. He constantly finds fault with his neighbors and passersby,
when they do something wrong.
Ove is 59 years old and he has been working for 43 years on the same job. Now the
day comes, when two young bosses offer him to do “personal growth”. Ove realizes that they
just want to fire him, but he does not want to go to any courses. That is why he gets up and
leaves. Life ceases to make sense for him after the death of his beloved wife and now he does
not want to live anymore. Ove dresses in a costume, stands on a stool and he is going to hang
himself, but it is bad luck. His new neighbors, who are settling in the house across the street,
cannot park their trailer with things. Ove does not stand, removes the loop and he goes to park
the car. Patrick and Parvaneh are a couple, who have two daughters and they are waiting for
the third child.
Every day Ove goes to his wife in the cemetery and brings her flowers. He promises
her that they will soon meet each other. Ove again tries to suicide, but suddenly the doorbell
rings. As a token of gratitude, his new neighbors bring him a hearty meal and they ask him to
borrow them a ladder. After Ove again tries to hang himself, but the rope breaks.
Ove goes to the garage, where with the help of the hose he intends to poison himself
with exhaust gases in the salon of his favorite car. At this moment, he recollects his youth,
their meeting with his beloved Sonja, their first date, their tragic vacation trip, but Parvaneh is
knocking at the door of Ove’s garage. Her husband Patrick falls from the stairs and she asks
Ove to take her to the hospital. Ove again does not die. The next day Ove goes to the railway
station, where he is going to throw himself under the train. A man next to him loses
consciousness and falls on the rails. People do nothing, only shoot the incident on the cameras
of their mobile phones, but the train is approaching. Ove raises the suffered man on the
platform, but he remains on the rails. At the last moment, he remembers how in his childhood
he almost got under the train and decides to leave this terrible plan.
Also in the book, there are still a lot of funny and interesting moments about Ove’s
life. He and his wife were friends with the family of Rune and Anita. Ove and Rune always
kept order of their village, but they always disputed whose car is better. One day Parvaneh
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and Ove find a cat near his house, but Parvaneh cannot take it to her house, because she has
an allergy. Therefore, the pet remains to live with Ove. After a while, the old man learns that
Mirsad’s father drives him out of the house, because the guy confesses that he is gay. At the
request of Mirsad, Ove certainly shelters him for a while.
One upon, workers of social services come to Anita’s house to take Rune to the
nursing home, but Anita does not let them to go into the house. She will take care of her
husband herself and if it is necessary, her neighbors will help her. Lena, who is a journalist,
studied the financial statements of the company, which the official represents. She has proof
that he is involved in fraud. However, Lena will not make it public, if social workers
immediately leave and will not bother these people any more. All the inhabitants of the
village support this idea and do not allow social workers to take Rune to the nursing home.
Therefore, there is no other way and workers of social services leave the village. Ove talks to
his friend and Rune smiles back.
One winter morning, Parvaneh remarks that Ove’s house is not cleared of snow. She
and her husband run to Ove’s house and find out that the old man died quietly in his bed. Ove
and Sonja are finally together again.

New words explained:

New words explained:

Ordinary – With no special or distinctive features; normal. Ex: It was just an ordinary evening.
Hysterical – Affected by or deriving from wildly uncontrolled emotion. Ex: Janet became hysterical
and began screaming.
Lightsaber – (in science fiction) a sword whose blade is in the form of a laser or powerful beam of
light, as used by the Jedi knights in the Star Wars films.
Slaughter – Kill (people or animals) in a cruel or violent way, typically in large numbers. Ex:
Innocent civilians are being slaughtered.
Surgery – The treatment of injuries or disorders of the body by incision or manipulation, especially
with instruments. Ex: He had surgery on his ankle.
Flounder – Struggle or stagger clumsily in mud or water. Ex: He was floundering about in the shallow
offshore waters.
Auditorium – The part of a theatre, concert hall, or other public building in which the audience sits.
Ex: The stage was small and the auditorium had only 366 seats.
Dork – A contemptible, socially inept person.
To giggle – Laugh lightly and repeatedly in a silly way, from amusement, nervousness, or
embarrassment. Ex: They giggled at some private joke.
Headache – A continuous pain in the head.
Sidewalk – A paved path for pedestrians at the side of a road; a pavement.
To scrunch – Make a loud crunching noise.
Precept – A general rule intended to regulate behaviour or thought.
Essay – A short piece of writing on a particular subject.
Bandage – A strip of woven material used to bind up a wound or to protect an injured part of the
body.
Quiz – A test of knowledge, especially as a competition between individuals or teams as a form of
entertainment.
Pimples – A small hard inflamed spot on the skin.
Deeds – An action that is performed intentionally or consciously. A brave or nobil act.
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Mummies – (especially in ancient Egypt) a body of a human being or animal that has been
ceremonially preserved by removal of the internal organs, treatment with natron and resin, and
wrapping in bandages.
Sag – Sink, subside, or bulge downwards under weight or pressure or through lack of strength.
Mischievous – Causing or showing a fondness for causing trouble in a playful way. (of an action or
statement) causing or intended to cause harm or trouble.
Jerk – A quick, sharp, sudden movement. (informal) A contemptibly foolish person.
Pogrom – An organized massacre of a particular ethnic group, in particular that of Jews in Russia or
eastern Europe. Ex: The Nazis began a pogrom against Jewish people in Germany.
Mutation – The changing of the structure of a gene, resulting in a variant form that may be
transmitted to subsequent generations, caused by the alteration of single base units in DNA, or the
deletion, insertion, or rearrangement of larger sections of genes or chromosomes. Ex: Mutation is,
ultimately, the only way in which new variation enters the species.
Inheritance – A thing that is inherited.
Mosaicism – The property or state of being composed of cells of two genetically different types.
Bribe – Dishonestly persuade (someone) to act in one's favour by a gift of money or other inducement.
Plague – 1. usually the plagueA contagious bacterial disease characterized by fever and delirium,
typically with the formation of buboes (bubonic plague) and sometimes infection of the lungs
(pneumonic plague). 2. Any contagious disease that spreads rapidly and kills many people.
Bummer – A disappointing or unpleasant situation or experience.
Locker – A small lockable cupboard or compartment, typically as one of a number placed together for
public use, e.g. in schools or railway stations.
Kinetic – Relating to or resulting from motion.