“People said Ove saw the world in black and white. But she was color. All the color he had.”
A Man Called Ove is a poignant 2012 novel by Swedish writer Fredrik Backman. Remaining on the New York Times bestselling list for 42 weeks following its publication, it has been adapted into two films since its release and remains one of the most delicately-told explorations of human connection and empathy.
Readers follow Ove, a grumpy 59-year-old widower with staunch principles and a short fuse. However, following the arrival of new neighbours in the form of a young couple and the two daughters, what follows is a heartwarming and often comical story of how this old man’s entire world can be flipped. To celebrate this contemporary classic, join us at What We Reading as we present the best books like A Man Called Ove!
Major Pettigrew’s Last Stand – Helen Simonson
Kicking off our list of books like A Man Called Ove is another New York Times bestseller, Major Pettigrew’s Last Stand by Helen Simonson. In the rural English countryside lives Major Ernest Pettigrew, a stiff-upper-lipped English gentleman and Mrs Jasmina Ali, a second-generation Pakistani shopkeeper. Both residing in the quaint village of Edgecombe St. Mary, filled with hilariously individual characters, the death of Pettigrew’s brother leads to a connection between the Major and the village’s shopkeeper.
However, underneath the heartwarming later-in-life romance built on a love of literature and shared loss, lies a poignant tale of racism, classism and the complicated dynamics involved with family. Heartwrenching and endearing, Simonson’s work remains a classic piece of British literature.
How Not To Die Alone – Richard Roper
For another book like A Man Called Ove that matches its darkly comedic and poignant life-affirming themes, look no further than Richard Roper’s debut novel, How Not To Die Alone. Andrew has built up a thick white lie of having a happy home life to protect from the grim reality of his day-to-day routine.
But, when a new arrival at work captures his heart, he is forced to choose between staying safe behind a facade or risk losing a friendship for the chance of kickstarting his life. The romance of Andrew and Peggy is a warm, real and big-hearted exploration of the importance of taking a chance when there is the most to lose, a motivator that we all need at times.
The 100-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out The Window And Disappeared – Jonas Jonasson
Another classic piece of contemporary Swedish literature like A Man Called Ove is Jonas Jonasson’ The 100-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out the Window and Disappeared. After a long and eventful life, Allan Karlsson believes the nursing home to be his final stop.
The only problem for him is that he feels as fit as a fiddle. So, ahead of his 100th birthday, he decides to escape. What follows is a hilarious misadventure of the elderly gentleman climbing out of his bedroom window and embarking on a journey wearing only his slippers. Along the way, he is able to reflect on the most momentous events he has lived through across the 20th century and the encounters he has had with the figures who played vital roles in them.
The Unlikely Pilgrimage Of Harold Fry (Harold Fry #1) – Rachel Joyce
A Goodreads Choice Award nominee, The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry is the story of an elderly man living in the English village of Kingsbridge. One day, he receives a letter from a woman he hasn’t seen or spoken to in twenty years: Queenie Hennessy. Writing from her bed in a hospice, she tells him that she is penning her final goodbyes.
Intent on delivering his reply in person, Harold embarks on a 600-mile trek from Kingsbridge to the hospice in Berwick-upon-Tweed, believing that, as long as he walks, Queenie will live. Along his walk across the countryside, he comes across an array of eccentric characters who allow him to unlock his long-dormant spirit, rediscovering his love for his family whilst also making peace with the regrets and losses of his past.
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Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine – Gail Honeyman
Another Goodreads nominee that matches A Man Called Ove’s messaging on the importance of opening your heart, Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine is a 2017 book from Gail Honeyman. Eleanor Oliphant is a woman who struggles with social skills, and whose carefully curated timetable revolves around avoiding interactions.
But, when she and her unhygienic colleague Raymond save an elderly gentleman named Sammy from a fall on the sidewalk, the three strike up a friendship that she would have never imagined possible. Through Raymond and his big heart, Eleanor is able to find a way to restore her own badly damaged one. A warm and uplifting story, Honeyman teaches readers to celebrate their quirkiness and understand that life is meant to be so much more than simply ‘fine’.
The Storied Life Of A. J. Fikry – Gabrielle Zevin
A.J. Fikry’s wife has just died, his bookstore has just experienced the worst sales records in its history and, to top it all off, his prized collections of Poe poems have just been stolen. He is growing increasingly isolated from the community of Alice Island, seeing the books around him as nothing more than a demonstration of a world changing too fast for him. And then a mysterious package arrives at his door.
This unexpected arrival gives A.J. the opportunity to completely transform his life and see things anew in this powerful story of second chances. Gabrielle Zevin’s The Storied Life of A. J. Fikry is a moving reaffirmation of why we read, and why we love.
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Memoirs Of An Imaginary Friend – Matthew Dicks
Another book like A Man Called Ove that celebrates the power of love, loyalty and originality is Memoirs of an Imaginary Friend by Matthew Dicks. Budo is the imaginary friend of eight-year-old Max. Max is on the Autism spectrum and it is Budo’s job to protect his friend from the dangers of the world. Budo knows that when Max grows up, he will no longer believe in him, making him disappear forever.
But, will Budo be able to protect himself and Max from Mrs Patterson, the woman who works with his friend in the learning centre and believes she is the only person capable of looking after the boy? The perfect book for anyone who loved the movie Inside Out, Max and Budo’s friendship wonderfully captures the nostalgia of having an imaginary friend and how much our imaginations can achieve.
My Grandmother Asked Me To Tell You She’s Sorry – Fredrik Backman
Where better to conclude a list of the best books like A Man Called Ove than with another one of Fredrik Backman’s best novels? Elsa is seven years old and different to most people. Her grandmother is also different, and her only friend. At night, Elsa takes refuge in the warm stories her grandmother told her of the Land-of-Almost-Awake and the Kingdom of Miamas where no one needs to be normal.
When Elsa’s grandmother dies, she leaves behind a series of letters, apologising to all the people she has wronged in her life. What follows for Elsa is an incredible adventure of delivering these letters to drunks, old crones, monsters and attack dogs, but also to the heart of her fairytale stories which her grandmother really was. Like A Man Called Ove, Backman’s 2013 book beautifully captures the essence of life, death and the right to be different.
Part-time reader, part-time rambler, and full-time Horror enthusiast, James has been writing for What We Reading since 2022. His earliest reading memories involved Historical Fiction, Fantasy and Horror tales, which he has continued to take with him to this day. James’ favourite books include The Last (Hanna Jameson), The Troop (Nick Cutter) and Chasing The Boogeyman (Richard Chizmar).
