When the Cranes Fly South

Get ready to fall in love with Bo, an elderly man in Norway whose days are lit by the company of his dog, Sixten, his best friend, Ture, and his favorite caregiver. His wife, Fredrika, has recently entered a care home, and while Bo finds pockets of joy, his relationship with his son, Hans, is more complicated. Hans is doing his best, probably like most middle-aged children trying to navigate the slow heartbreak of caring for aging parents.

This is one of those books we need. Because sometimes we lose the thread. We get caught in the grief or the frustration and forget to see the beauty still unfolding. When the Cranes Fly South is deeply moving, tender, and full of grace. It's a quiet meditation on the meaning of life, and it will stay with me for years—maybe forever.

It won the Swedish Book of the Year Award, and this is one I want to buy twenty copies of and give to my nearest and dearest. Don't miss it!

‍