Publisher Description

FROM THE INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF A MAN CALLED OVE, NOW A MAJOR FILM STARRING TOM HANKSHeartbreaking and hilarious in equal measure, this novel will charm and delight anyone who has ever had a grandmother.'A touching, sometimes funny, often wise portrait of grief' KirkusEveryone remembers the smell of their grandmother's house.Everyone remembers the stories their grandmother told them.But does everyone remember their grandmother flirting with policemen? Driving illegally?Breaking into a zoo in the middle of the night? Firing a paintball gun from a balcony in her dressing gown?Seven-year-old Elsa does.Some might call Elsa's granny 'eccentric', or even 'crazy'. Elsa calls her a superhero. And granny's stories, of knights and princesses and dragons and castles, are her superpower. Because, as Elsa is starting to learn, heroes and villains don't always exist in imaginary kingdoms; they could live just down the hallway.As Christmas draws near, even the best superhero grandmothers may have one or two things they'd like to apologise for. And, in the process, Elsa can have some breath-taking adventures of her own . . .

Author Biography

Fredrik Backman made his literary debut in 2012 with the global sensation A Man Called Ove. He has written seven highly acclaimed novels, including My Grandmother Sends Her Regards and Apologises and Britt-Marie Was Here; two heartfelt novellas about life and love; and one non-fiction book about parenthood. His books have sold more than 18 million copies in 46 languages. The Swedish-language film adaptation of A Man Called Ove was nominated for two Academy Awards, and more recently the book was adapted into a major motion picture starring Tom Hanks.

Review

There are clear themes here, nominally: the importance of stories; the honesty of children; and the obtuseness of most adults, putting him firmly in league with the likes of Roald Dahl and Neil Gaiman. A touching, sometimes funny, often wise portrait of grief. - KirkusThe author's lightness of touch is definitely a contributor towards the novel's success. (It's already a best seller in his native country.) Fredrik conveys much in a few words . . . However a special warning to the ladies summed up in three words: wear waterproof mascara! I read the last few chapters verging between heart-glowing smiles and heart-wrenching sobs. I'll be ready for it the next few times I read it though and, indeed, the times after that. - The BookbagA highly compelling read and it was easy to lose myself in the story - Off the ShelfTold with the same comic accuracy and beating heart as [OVE]... It is a story about life and death and one of the most important human rights: the right to be different. - Laura's Little Book BlogDelightful . . . there's a bit of Ove in all of us - which makes it the perfect holiday read. - Evening Standard on A Man Called OveIt's warm, funny, and ultimately almost unbearably moving. - Daily Mail on A Man Called OveAn uplifting, life-affirming and often comic tale of how kindness, love and happiness can be found in the most unlikely places. - Sunday Express on A Man Called OveA warm and tender story about love, loss and second chances, peppered with memorable characters, wonderful set pieces and some beautifully black humour. Ove is a joy from start to finish. - Gavin Extence, author of The Universe versus Alex Woods on A Man Called Ove

Long Description

A must-read for fans of Rachel Joyce's The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry and Maria Semple's Where'd You Go, Bernadette Heartbreaking and hilarious in equal measure, by the author of the New York Times bestselling phenomenon A Man Called Ove will charm and delight anyone who has ever had a grandmother. Everyone remembers the smell of their grandmother's house. Everyone remembers the stories their grandmother told them.But does everyone remember their grandmother flirting with policemen? Driving illegally?Breaking into a zoo in the middle of the night? Firing a paintball gun from a balcony in her dressing gown?Seven-year-old Elsa does.Some might call Elsa's granny 'eccentric', or even 'crazy'. Elsa calls her a superhero. And granny's stories, of knights and princesses and dragons and castles, are her superpower. Because, as Elsa is starting to learn, heroes and villains don't always exist in imaginary kingdoms; they could live just down the hallway.As Christmas draws near, even the best superhero grandmothers may have one or two things they'd like to apologise for. And, in the process, Elsa can have some breath-taking adventures of her own . . .

Review Quote

There are clear themes here, nominally: the importance of stories; the honesty of children; and the obtuseness of most adults, putting him firmly in league with the likes of Roald Dahl and Neil Gaiman . A touching, sometimes funny, often wise portrait of grief. - Kirkus The author's lightness of touch is definitely a contributor towards the novel's success. (It's already a best seller in his native country.) Fredrik conveys much in a few words . . . However a special warning to the ladies summed up in three words: wear waterproof mascara! I read the last few chapters verging between heart-glowing smiles and heart-wrenching sobs. I'll be ready for it the next few times I read it though and, indeed, the times after that. - The BookbagA highly compelling read and it was easy to lose myself in the story - Off the ShelfTold with the same comic accuracy and beating heart as [OVE]... It is a story about life and death and one of the most important human rights: the right to be different. - Laura's Little Book BlogDelightful . . . there's a bit of Ove in all of us - which makes it the perfect holiday read . - Evening Standard on A Man Called Ove It's warm, funny, and ultimately almost unbearably moving. - Daily Mail on A Man Called Ove An uplifting, life-affirming and often comic tale of how kindness, love and happiness can be found in the most unlikely places. - Sunday Express on A Man Called Ove A warm and tender story about love, loss and second chances, peppered with memorable characters, wonderful set pieces and some beautifully black humour. Ove is a joy from start to finish . - Gavin Extence, author of The Universe versus Alex Woods on A Man Called Ove

Promotional "Headline"

The hilarious, heart-breaking novel by the author of the international bestseller A MAN CALLED OVE.

Description for Sales People

Previous paperback A MAN CALLED OVE has sold over 50,000 copies TCM , was a R&J Summer Choice , was Radio 4's Book at Bedtime and was chosen for Simon Mayo's R2 Bookclub .

Description for Press or Other Media

'Granny has been telling fairy tales for as long as Elsa can remember. In the beginning they were only to make Elsa go to sleep, and to get her to practise granny's secret language, and a little because granny is just about as nutty as a granny should be. But lately the stories have another dimension as well. Something Elsa can't quite put her finger on...' Elsa is seven years old and different. Her grandmother is seventy-seven years old and crazy. Standing-on-the-balcony-firing-paintball-guns-at-men-who-want-to-talk-about-Jesus-crazy. She is also Elsa's best, and only, friend. At night Elsa runs to her grandmother's stories, to the Land of Almost-Awake and the Kingdom of Miamas. There, everybody is different and nobody needs to be normal. So when Elsa's grandmother dies and leaves behind a series of letters apologizing to people she has hurt, it marks the beginning of Elsa's greatest adventure. Her grandmother's letters lead her to an apartment building full of drunks, monsters, attack dogs, and totally ordinary old crones-but also to the truth about fairytales and kingdoms and a grandmother like no other. My Grandmother Sent Me to Tell You She's Sorry is told with the same comic accuracy and beating heart as Fredrik Backman's bestselling debut novel, A Man Called Ove . It is a story about life and death and one of the most important human rights: the right to be different.

Details