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Fredrik Welin #1
丕賱兀丨匕賷丞 丕賱廿賷胤丕賱賷丞
"亘丿兀鬲購 匕丕鬲 氐亘丕丨 賲亘賰賾乇丕賸 亘賳賯賱 賯乇賷丞 丕賱賳賲賱. 丌賳 丕賱兀賵丕賳. 賱賲 賷毓丿 賴匕丕 丕賱兀賲乇 賯丕亘賱丕賸 賱賱鬲兀噩賷賱.
賰賳鬲購 兀賳夭毓 胤亘賯丕鬲 賲鬲鬲丕賱賷丞貙 乇賮卮丕賸 廿孬乇 乇賮卮貙 廿賱賶 兀賳 鬲賲鬲賱卅 丕賱毓乇亘丞 丕賱賷丿賵賷賾丞.
亘睾鬲丞賸 丕氐胤丿賲 丕賱乇賾賮卮 亘卮賷亍 賲丕 兀丨丿孬 賲丕 賷卮亘賴 丕賱乇賳賷賳. 賵亘毓丿賲丕 乇賮毓鬲 賰賲賷賾丞 兀禺乇賶 賲賳 廿亘乇 丕賱氐賳賵亘乇 賵丕賱賳賲賱貙 丕鬲賾囟丨 賱賷 兀賳賾賴丕 賰丕賳鬲 廿丨丿賶 夭噩丕噩丕鬲 丌乇賷賷鬲 丕賱賮丕乇睾丞. 賰丕賳 賮賷 丿丕禺賱賴丕 賱賮丕賮丞 賵乇賯賷賾丞. 爻丨亘鬲賴丕 賵賮乇丿鬲賴丕. 賰丕賳鬲 氐賵乇丞 賱賳丕 賳丨賳 丕賱丕孬賳賷賳貙 賲賱鬲賯胤丞 賮賷 丕賱兀賷賾丕賲 丕賱兀禺賷乇丞 賲賳 毓賱丕賯鬲賳丕貙 丨賷賳 賰賳賾丕 卮丕亘賾賷賳...
賯賱亘鬲購 丕賱氐賵乇丞貙 賰丕賳鬲 丌乇賷賷鬲 賯丿 乇爻賲鬲 毓賱賶 馗賴乇賴丕 禺乇賷胤丞 鬲賲孬賾賱 噩夭賷乇鬲賷. 賵賰鬲亘鬲 鬲丨鬲賴丕: 賵氐賱賳丕 丨鬲賾賶 賴匕賴 丕賱賳賯胤丞.
匕賴亘鬲購 賵噩賱爻鬲購 賮賷 丕賱賲胤亘禺 賵睾乇賯鬲購 賱賵賯鬲 胤賵賷賱 賮賷 鬲兀賲賾賱 丕賱氐賵乇丞.
孬賲賾 賵丕氐賱鬲購 賳賯賱 丕賱賳賲丕賱 氐賵亘 丨賷丕鬲賴丕 丕賱噩丿賷丿丞. 毓賳丿 丕賱賲爻丕亍貙 賰丕賳 賰賱賾 卮賷亍 賲賳鬲賴賷丕賸. 賰丕賳鬲 賯乇賷丞 丕賱賳賲賱 賯丿 賳購賯賽賱鬲賿.
匕賴亘鬲購 賮賷 噩賵賱丞 毓賱賶 噩夭賷乇鬲賷. 賰丕賳鬲 丕賱胤賷賵乇 丕賱賲賴丕噩乇丞 鬲丨賵賲 賮賵賯 丕賱亘丨乇.
賰丕賳 丕賱兀賲乇 賰賲丕 賰鬲亘鬲賿 丌乇賷賷鬲. 賰賳賾丕 賯丿 賵氐賱賳丕 丨鬲賾賶 賴匕賴 丕賱賳賯胤丞."
賰賳鬲購 兀賳夭毓 胤亘賯丕鬲 賲鬲鬲丕賱賷丞貙 乇賮卮丕賸 廿孬乇 乇賮卮貙 廿賱賶 兀賳 鬲賲鬲賱卅 丕賱毓乇亘丞 丕賱賷丿賵賷賾丞.
亘睾鬲丞賸 丕氐胤丿賲 丕賱乇賾賮卮 亘卮賷亍 賲丕 兀丨丿孬 賲丕 賷卮亘賴 丕賱乇賳賷賳. 賵亘毓丿賲丕 乇賮毓鬲 賰賲賷賾丞 兀禺乇賶 賲賳 廿亘乇 丕賱氐賳賵亘乇 賵丕賱賳賲賱貙 丕鬲賾囟丨 賱賷 兀賳賾賴丕 賰丕賳鬲 廿丨丿賶 夭噩丕噩丕鬲 丌乇賷賷鬲 丕賱賮丕乇睾丞. 賰丕賳 賮賷 丿丕禺賱賴丕 賱賮丕賮丞 賵乇賯賷賾丞. 爻丨亘鬲賴丕 賵賮乇丿鬲賴丕. 賰丕賳鬲 氐賵乇丞 賱賳丕 賳丨賳 丕賱丕孬賳賷賳貙 賲賱鬲賯胤丞 賮賷 丕賱兀賷賾丕賲 丕賱兀禺賷乇丞 賲賳 毓賱丕賯鬲賳丕貙 丨賷賳 賰賳賾丕 卮丕亘賾賷賳...
賯賱亘鬲購 丕賱氐賵乇丞貙 賰丕賳鬲 丌乇賷賷鬲 賯丿 乇爻賲鬲 毓賱賶 馗賴乇賴丕 禺乇賷胤丞 鬲賲孬賾賱 噩夭賷乇鬲賷. 賵賰鬲亘鬲 鬲丨鬲賴丕: 賵氐賱賳丕 丨鬲賾賶 賴匕賴 丕賱賳賯胤丞.
匕賴亘鬲購 賵噩賱爻鬲購 賮賷 丕賱賲胤亘禺 賵睾乇賯鬲購 賱賵賯鬲 胤賵賷賱 賮賷 鬲兀賲賾賱 丕賱氐賵乇丞.
孬賲賾 賵丕氐賱鬲購 賳賯賱 丕賱賳賲丕賱 氐賵亘 丨賷丕鬲賴丕 丕賱噩丿賷丿丞. 毓賳丿 丕賱賲爻丕亍貙 賰丕賳 賰賱賾 卮賷亍 賲賳鬲賴賷丕賸. 賰丕賳鬲 賯乇賷丞 丕賱賳賲賱 賯丿 賳購賯賽賱鬲賿.
匕賴亘鬲購 賮賷 噩賵賱丞 毓賱賶 噩夭賷乇鬲賷. 賰丕賳鬲 丕賱胤賷賵乇 丕賱賲賴丕噩乇丞 鬲丨賵賲 賮賵賯 丕賱亘丨乇.
賰丕賳 丕賱兀賲乇 賰賲丕 賰鬲亘鬲賿 丌乇賷賷鬲. 賰賳賾丕 賯丿 賵氐賱賳丕 丨鬲賾賶 賴匕賴 丕賱賳賯胤丞."
371 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2006
573 people are currently reading
4340 people want to read
About the author
Henning Mankell
282听books3,716听followersHenning Mankell was an internationally known Swedish crime writer, children's author and playwright. He was best known for his literary character Kurt Wallander.
Mankell split his time between Sweden and Mozambique. He was married to Eva Bergman, Swedish director and daughter of Ingmar Bergman.
Mankell split his time between Sweden and Mozambique. He was married to Eva Bergman, Swedish director and daughter of Ingmar Bergman.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,136 reviews
February 16, 2011
This novel is not part of the Wallander series and no crime is involved. It may be unusual in that the two most important characters are both old. Frederick Welin is a surgeon, now retired, who lives on a Swedish island. But for his cat and his dog, both of whom are also old, he lives alone. Given his anti-social tendencies that may be just as well. The only regular contact he has is with Jansson, a postman who delivers what little mail he gets. Jansson is a hypochondriac who regularly has Welin check him out even though his health is excellent. Welin does not like Jansson and is always brusque with him. Regardless of how bad the weather is he never invites him into his house.
Though safely isolated, Welin鈥檚 past catches up with him in the person of Harriet, a woman he had loved in his youth but deserted without a word of explanation. Despite terminal cancer and requiring a walker, Harriet seeks him out and asks him to keep a promise 鈥� to take her to the pool where Welin and his father bathed. She may well have wanted to see it, but going to the pool takes them close to where she now lives with her daughter Louise. Welin does not know that he has a daughter, nor that he is about to meet her. Louise is also unprepared for the meeting, which takes place in the caravan where she lives.
As a result of Harriet鈥檚 visit Welin revisits the incident that caused him to give up surgery, amputating the wrong arm of a promising swimmer called Agnes. With her agreement he visits her, finding that she now looks after troubled girls one of whom, Sima, will later visit him on his island.
There is a good deal of bad temper and brusque dialogue in this book, and the main characters tend to come straight to the point with each other. There are also deaths, none of them violent.
I liked this book a lot. It is very well written, effectively conveying the often hostile and very cold environment in which Welin lives. A stock word might be 鈥榓tmospheric鈥�. Josephine Sandegren (author of Dimmaletting) has wondered whether Swedish might be less expressive than some other languages. On the evidence of this book, and though I read it in translation, I think Swedish, in good hands, is expressive enough for quality writing.
The characters are also well conveyed. It may be that older people, especially if they are experiencing physical pain, are more direct 鈥� less interested in pussy-footing around a subject. Not all authors deal with older people (an exception being Ring Lardner who, despite dying young himself, featured them in several of his stories).
Although some of the events might be considered unlikely or far-fetched, I found them easy to accept. My only problem was with the ant-hill in Welin鈥檚 house. This is mentioned several times and I didn鈥檛 entirely believe it. There is also a reference to Tony Blair, which has the unwelcome effect of reminding the reader that he exists
Though safely isolated, Welin鈥檚 past catches up with him in the person of Harriet, a woman he had loved in his youth but deserted without a word of explanation. Despite terminal cancer and requiring a walker, Harriet seeks him out and asks him to keep a promise 鈥� to take her to the pool where Welin and his father bathed. She may well have wanted to see it, but going to the pool takes them close to where she now lives with her daughter Louise. Welin does not know that he has a daughter, nor that he is about to meet her. Louise is also unprepared for the meeting, which takes place in the caravan where she lives.
As a result of Harriet鈥檚 visit Welin revisits the incident that caused him to give up surgery, amputating the wrong arm of a promising swimmer called Agnes. With her agreement he visits her, finding that she now looks after troubled girls one of whom, Sima, will later visit him on his island.
There is a good deal of bad temper and brusque dialogue in this book, and the main characters tend to come straight to the point with each other. There are also deaths, none of them violent.
I liked this book a lot. It is very well written, effectively conveying the often hostile and very cold environment in which Welin lives. A stock word might be 鈥榓tmospheric鈥�. Josephine Sandegren (author of Dimmaletting) has wondered whether Swedish might be less expressive than some other languages. On the evidence of this book, and though I read it in translation, I think Swedish, in good hands, is expressive enough for quality writing.
The characters are also well conveyed. It may be that older people, especially if they are experiencing physical pain, are more direct 鈥� less interested in pussy-footing around a subject. Not all authors deal with older people (an exception being Ring Lardner who, despite dying young himself, featured them in several of his stories).
Although some of the events might be considered unlikely or far-fetched, I found them easy to accept. My only problem was with the ant-hill in Welin鈥檚 house. This is mentioned several times and I didn鈥檛 entirely believe it. There is also a reference to Tony Blair, which has the unwelcome effect of reminding the reader that he exists
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 5, 2023
I'm again thankful to Eileen for suggesting a good book to me! Thank you, Eileen!
It is not mystery that draws here but rather the setting. I live in Sweden. I can verify that the details are just right.
Before rating and reviewing, I sat back and thought what do I think of this? I rate a book by my gut reaction. On closing the book my overall gut response was that I liked it--a lot. Therefore, four stars is what I have given it. The next step is to figure out why I have reacted as I have. I don鈥檛 chalk up the good and bad points of a book first! Figuring out why a book is good or bad is the second step, never the first! I can say in one sentence what makes this book special for me. It draws an accurate description of Sweden shortly after the millennia. This is when the story is set. Today, this is now a good twenty years ago. Where is it set? In the environs of the Stockholm archipelago and in J盲mtland and H盲lsingland of northern Sweden.
The story circles around a surgeon who having made an error has drawn himself back from society. Guilt weighs him down. A past love affair as well as the difficulties of immigrants living in Sweden and foster care are additional themes. The focus on Italian shoes is best viewed as a metaphor, but if you鈥檝e owned high quality Italian shoes, you鈥檒l recognize how wonderful they are! Shod in good shoes, you need not give a moment鈥檚 thought to your feet.
The author captures very well nature and 鈥渢he feel of life鈥� where the story unfolds. The characters behave as Swedes do and did behave at the turn of 21st century. The details are right. A story set in contemporary times wouldn鈥檛 be quite the same. Foster care and the immigrant situation change with the decades, but how one looks upon family, holiday celebrations and life on the islands and in the sparsely populated forests of the North ring true still today. Having lived in different countries (the US, Sweden, Belgium and France) one becomes very aware of cultural differences. The Swedish author Henning Mankell has succeeded in pining down Swedish ways.
There are aspects of the story that irritate me, but in fact, even these reflect common Swedish attitudes. I didn鈥檛 like how the cat and dog are not referred to by name. There is a coldness shown toward them that irritates me. Swedish society does not look at pets with the warmth and benevolence that you see in France, for example. The American view of pets is also different. In America cats and dogs are frequently simply what a family is "expected -to-have". My point is this, the author draws events as they would roll out in Sweden.
Another thing that put me off were ants being allowed to invade the living area of a home. Clearly, the monstrous ant hill is intended as a metaphor, but I find this too exaggerated, too over-the-top! It鈥檚 too fantastical. It just would not happen.
Good and bad things happen in the story. I like the balance of the two.
Many acclaim the beauty of a starry night sky. There is also beauty in silence. The author recognizes this.
For me the book is worth four stars, despite various plot events that I find bizarre.
Sean Barrett reads the audiobook. Quite a few places in Sweden are incorrectly pronounced. Couldn鈥檛 he have found out how to say them correctly? Otherwise, the narration is very good. English words are easily understood. He pauses in the right places. I gave the narration four stars anyhow, despite the incorrect Swedish.
Here is something interesting to consider. Henning Markell was born in Stockholm on February 3, 1948. He was abandoned by his mother, along with his two siblings. They moved in with their father, a judge, living in Sveg, J盲mtland, a county of northern Sweden. The author sets the story in places he has lived himself. Knowing the circumstances of the author鈥檚 own life has you reflecting on how he draws the story.
It is not mystery that draws here but rather the setting. I live in Sweden. I can verify that the details are just right.
Before rating and reviewing, I sat back and thought what do I think of this? I rate a book by my gut reaction. On closing the book my overall gut response was that I liked it--a lot. Therefore, four stars is what I have given it. The next step is to figure out why I have reacted as I have. I don鈥檛 chalk up the good and bad points of a book first! Figuring out why a book is good or bad is the second step, never the first! I can say in one sentence what makes this book special for me. It draws an accurate description of Sweden shortly after the millennia. This is when the story is set. Today, this is now a good twenty years ago. Where is it set? In the environs of the Stockholm archipelago and in J盲mtland and H盲lsingland of northern Sweden.
The story circles around a surgeon who having made an error has drawn himself back from society. Guilt weighs him down. A past love affair as well as the difficulties of immigrants living in Sweden and foster care are additional themes. The focus on Italian shoes is best viewed as a metaphor, but if you鈥檝e owned high quality Italian shoes, you鈥檒l recognize how wonderful they are! Shod in good shoes, you need not give a moment鈥檚 thought to your feet.
The author captures very well nature and 鈥渢he feel of life鈥� where the story unfolds. The characters behave as Swedes do and did behave at the turn of 21st century. The details are right. A story set in contemporary times wouldn鈥檛 be quite the same. Foster care and the immigrant situation change with the decades, but how one looks upon family, holiday celebrations and life on the islands and in the sparsely populated forests of the North ring true still today. Having lived in different countries (the US, Sweden, Belgium and France) one becomes very aware of cultural differences. The Swedish author Henning Mankell has succeeded in pining down Swedish ways.
There are aspects of the story that irritate me, but in fact, even these reflect common Swedish attitudes. I didn鈥檛 like how the cat and dog are not referred to by name. There is a coldness shown toward them that irritates me. Swedish society does not look at pets with the warmth and benevolence that you see in France, for example. The American view of pets is also different. In America cats and dogs are frequently simply what a family is "expected -to-have". My point is this, the author draws events as they would roll out in Sweden.
Another thing that put me off were ants being allowed to invade the living area of a home. Clearly, the monstrous ant hill is intended as a metaphor, but I find this too exaggerated, too over-the-top! It鈥檚 too fantastical. It just would not happen.
Good and bad things happen in the story. I like the balance of the two.
Many acclaim the beauty of a starry night sky. There is also beauty in silence. The author recognizes this.
For me the book is worth four stars, despite various plot events that I find bizarre.
Sean Barrett reads the audiobook. Quite a few places in Sweden are incorrectly pronounced. Couldn鈥檛 he have found out how to say them correctly? Otherwise, the narration is very good. English words are easily understood. He pauses in the right places. I gave the narration four stars anyhow, despite the incorrect Swedish.
Here is something interesting to consider. Henning Markell was born in Stockholm on February 3, 1948. He was abandoned by his mother, along with his two siblings. They moved in with their father, a judge, living in Sveg, J盲mtland, a county of northern Sweden. The author sets the story in places he has lived himself. Knowing the circumstances of the author鈥檚 own life has you reflecting on how he draws the story.
February 26, 2017
Floresta - Su茅cia
Update - 26-02-2017
O sueco Henning Mankell (1945 - 2015) 茅 um dos meus escritores preferidos, acompanho de uma forma cont铆nua os seus magn铆ficos livros policiais, com destaque 贸bvio para os protagonizados por Kurt Wallander. A sua longa liga莽茫o a 惭辞莽补尘产颈辩耻别 onde foi Director do Teatro Avenida em Maputo e o seu envolvimento em in煤meras 鈥渃ausas humanit谩rias鈥� no continente africano, com destaque para 鈥淪OS Children麓s Villages鈥� e 鈥淪ave the Children鈥�, colocaram-no na vertente pessoal, num patamar de relevo inquestion谩vel.
A edi莽茫o em Portugal de 鈥淪apatos Italianos鈥�, originalmente publicado em 2006, que n茫o sendo um livro policial enquadra-se numa novela de cariz introspectivo, numa viagem 脿s profundezas da alma humana, da solid茫o, do arrependimento e do remorso , mas tamb茅m da esperan莽a.
Logo na primeira p谩gina do livro Mankell escreve - 鈥淎 vida 茅 um fr谩gil ramo suspenso sobre um precip铆cio鈥� 鈥� e 茅 nesse contexto, da fragilidade das rela莽玫es humanas, que ficamos a conhecer Fredrik Welin, uma pessoa atormentada, inicialmente, por uma inf芒ncia sem afecto, sobretudo, por parte da m茫e e depois por um acontecimento tr谩gico, no exerc铆cio da sua profiss茫o de m茅dico-cirurgi茫o, que motiva a sua auto-reclus茫o numa pequena ilha situada no Mar B谩ltico 鈥� 鈥淐ometi um erro. E recusei-me a aceitar as consequ锚ncias.鈥�
A min煤scula ilha 鈥� uma heran莽a dos av贸s - 茅 para Fredrik Welin um espa莽o limitado e claustrof贸bico, em que tem exclusivamente por companhia di谩ria a presen莽a de um c茫o e uma gata a que se junta as visitas regulares do hipocondr铆aco carteiro Jansson.
A evolu莽茫o da hist贸ria da "Sapatos Italianos" decorre de acontecimentos completamente inesperados para Fredrik Welin, que lhe permitem reavivar as suas mem贸rias traum谩ticas e saldar contas com o passado 鈥� para que de uma vez por todas possa recuperar a sua capacidade de viver sem se esconder da realidade.
Henning Mankell constr贸i a narrativa do livro decompondo-a em quatros andamentos - Gelo, A Floresta, O Mar e o Solst铆cio de Inverno 鈥� e exerce um dom铆nio absoluto no ritmo narrativo e mant茅m como habitualmente uma capacidade descritiva excepcional.
No entanto, at茅 por raz玫es profissionais, o que me surpreende de uma forma subtil s茫o as preocupa莽玫es ambientais e climat茅ricas que Mankell evidencia em toda a narrativa. Welin escreve um 鈥渄i谩rio de uma vida que perdeu o rumo鈥�, mas que serve prioritariamente para nos 鈥渓embrar鈥� das altera莽玫es climat茅ricas que est茫o a ocorrer naquela zona do planeta Terra 鈥� apenas, alguns exemplos: a espessura do gelo, a mudan莽a de folhagem das 谩rvores, a direc莽茫o do vento, a presen莽a das aves migrat贸rias, o solst铆cio de Ver茫o e de Inverno, a dura莽茫o dos dias, as esta莽玫es do ano, o frio/calor鈥�
O sueco Henning Mankell escreve um magn铆fico livro, que nos desassossega e asfixia numa narrativa espec铆fica daquelas latitudes e daqueles ambientes.
Numa frase resumo: 鈥淓ncontrava-me nas profundezas das melanc贸licas florestas do norte da Su茅cia.鈥�
Henning Mankell (1945 - 2015)
July 26, 2022
乇丕爻鬲卮 賲賳 亘賴 毓賳賵丕賳 乇賲丕賳 噩賳丕蹖蹖 禺賵賳丿賲卮 賵賱蹖 丕氐賱丕 噩賳丕蹖蹖 賳亘賵丿.馃檰鈥嶁檪锔�
夭賳丿诏蹖 丨賵氐賱賴 爻乇 亘乇 蹖賴 倬夭卮讴 亘丕夭賳卮爻鬲賴 丿丕禺賱 蹖賴 噩夭蹖乇賴 鬲賳賴丕.
鬲丕夭賴 倬丕蹖丕賳卮賲 亘丕夭賴.馃が
丕賱亘鬲賴 鬲讴賳蹖讴 乇賲丕賳 賳賵蹖爻蹖卮 賯賵蹖賴 賵丕爻賴 賴賲蹖賳 賲蹖卮賴 鬲丨賲賱卮 讴乇丿 丕賲丕 丿乇 讴賱 丕乇夭卮卮賵 賳丿丕乇賴. 禺賱丕氐賴 讴賴:
Don't waste your time with this
夭賳丿诏蹖 丨賵氐賱賴 爻乇 亘乇 蹖賴 倬夭卮讴 亘丕夭賳卮爻鬲賴 丿丕禺賱 蹖賴 噩夭蹖乇賴 鬲賳賴丕.
鬲丕夭賴 倬丕蹖丕賳卮賲 亘丕夭賴.馃が
丕賱亘鬲賴 鬲讴賳蹖讴 乇賲丕賳 賳賵蹖爻蹖卮 賯賵蹖賴 賵丕爻賴 賴賲蹖賳 賲蹖卮賴 鬲丨賲賱卮 讴乇丿 丕賲丕 丿乇 讴賱 丕乇夭卮卮賵 賳丿丕乇賴. 禺賱丕氐賴 讴賴:
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January 28, 2020 乇噩賱 賷毓賷卮 賵丨賷丿丕賸 毓賱賶 噩夭賷乇丞 噩賱賷丿賷丞 貙 賷賱賯賷 亘賳賮爻賴 賮賷 丨賮乇丞 孬賱噩賷丞 賰賱 賷賵賲 賱賷鬲兀賰丿 賲賳 賰賵賳賴 賲丕夭丕賱 毓賱賶 賯賷丿 丕賱丨賷丕丞...
匕丕鬲 賷賵賲 鬲兀鬲賷 丕賲乇兀丞 毓噩賵夭 鬲爻鬲賳丿 毓賱賶 毓賰丕夭賴丕 賵賮賷 賱丨馗丞 鬲賵賯賮 賮賷賴丕 丕賱夭賲賳 賷鬲毓乇賮 毓賱賷賴丕 ..兀賳賴丕 丕賱賲乇兀丞 丕賱鬲賷 兀丨亘賴丕 賮賷 丕賱賲丕囟賷 兀賰孬乇 賲賳 兀賷 丕賲乇兀丞 兀禺乇賶 ..兀賳賴丕 兀賮賱丨鬲 賮賷 丕賱毓孬賵乇 毓賱賷賴 亘毓丿 兀乇亘毓賷賳 毓丕賲丕賸 賲賳 丕禺鬲賮丕亍賴...亘賵氐賵賱賴丕 丕賱賷賴 賯丿 睾丿鬲 毓夭賱鬲賴 毓賱賶 噩夭賷乇鬲賴 賵賴賲丕賸..賰丕賳鬲 丕賱賲乇兀丞 賯丿 丕氐賷亘鬲 亘賲乇囟 丕賱爻乇胤丕賳 賵毓賱賶 賵卮賰 丕賱賲賵鬲...鬲乇賶 亘丕爻鬲胤丕毓鬲賴丕 賴賶 丕賱鬲賷 鬲爻賱賲 賱賯亘囟丞 丕賱賲賵鬲 兀賳 鬲賲賳丨賴 丨賷丕丞 噩丿賷丿丞 責責..
賴賱 賷賲賰賳 賱賴丕 兀賳 鬲睾賮乇 賱賴 禺賷丕賳鬲賴 亘丕禺鬲賮丕亍賴 賲賳 丨賷丕鬲賴丕 責
賴賱 賷賲賰賳 賱賱賲乇亍 鬲氐賵賷亘 兀禺胤丕亍賴...責
丕賳 賷賮賷 亘賵毓丿 賲丕 丨鬲賶 賵兀賳 賲囟賶 丕賱夭賲賳 毓賱賷賴 胤賵賷賱丕賸 責
賱賯丿 賰丕賳 賲丿賷賳丕賸 賱賳賮爻賴 賵賱賱丌禺乇賷賳 賮兀賲丕 毓賳 丕賱賵毓賵丿 睾賷乇 丕賱賲購氐丕賳丞 丕賱鬲賷 賳賯胤毓賴丕 賱賱丌禺乇賷賳 鬲賱丕丨賯賳丕 丿賵賲丕賸 ..鬲胤丕乇丿賳丕 賱丕 賷賲賰賳賳丕 丕賱鬲賴乇亘 賲賳賴丕..鬲購匕賰乇賳丕 丿賵賲丕賸 亘賵噩賵丿賴丕 ...
賵賴賳丕賱賰 賲賳 丕賱賵毓賵丿 賲丕 賳賯胤毓賴丕 賱兀賳賮爻賳丕 賵賱賰賳賳丕 賳禺賵賳賴丕
鬲賱賰 鬲購丨丕氐乇賳丕..鬲購爻噩賳 亘丿賵丕禺賱賳丕 ..鬲爻丨亘賳丕 賳丨賵 匕賵丕鬲賳丕 貙 鬲爻賱亘賳丕 丨賷丕鬲賳丕 卮賷卅丕賸 賮卮賷卅丕賸 ..賮賷 氐賲鬲 禺丕賳賯 ..賮賷 爻賰賵賳 賲賴賱賰 ..
鬲賲丕賲丕賸 賰賯乇賷丞 丕賱賳賲賱 丕賱鬲賷 賰丕賳 丕賱乇噩賱 賷丨鬲賮馗 亘賴丕 賮賷 亘賷鬲賴 丕賳賴丕 鬲賰亘乇 賷賵賲丕賸 亘毓丿 賷賵賲 賵鬲噩鬲丕丨 丕賱胤丕賵賱丞 賮賷 氐賲鬲 ..賲鬲賶 鬲賲賰賳 賲賳 兀賳 賷賳賯賱賴丕 賱賲賰丕賳 丌禺乇 毓賳丿卅匕賺 賷賰賵賳 賯丿 兀毓賱賳 亘丿亍 丨賷丕丞 噩丿賷丿丞...
匕丕鬲 賷賵賲 鬲兀鬲賷 丕賲乇兀丞 毓噩賵夭 鬲爻鬲賳丿 毓賱賶 毓賰丕夭賴丕 賵賮賷 賱丨馗丞 鬲賵賯賮 賮賷賴丕 丕賱夭賲賳 賷鬲毓乇賮 毓賱賷賴丕 ..兀賳賴丕 丕賱賲乇兀丞 丕賱鬲賷 兀丨亘賴丕 賮賷 丕賱賲丕囟賷 兀賰孬乇 賲賳 兀賷 丕賲乇兀丞 兀禺乇賶 ..兀賳賴丕 兀賮賱丨鬲 賮賷 丕賱毓孬賵乇 毓賱賷賴 亘毓丿 兀乇亘毓賷賳 毓丕賲丕賸 賲賳 丕禺鬲賮丕亍賴...亘賵氐賵賱賴丕 丕賱賷賴 賯丿 睾丿鬲 毓夭賱鬲賴 毓賱賶 噩夭賷乇鬲賴 賵賴賲丕賸..賰丕賳鬲 丕賱賲乇兀丞 賯丿 丕氐賷亘鬲 亘賲乇囟 丕賱爻乇胤丕賳 賵毓賱賶 賵卮賰 丕賱賲賵鬲...鬲乇賶 亘丕爻鬲胤丕毓鬲賴丕 賴賶 丕賱鬲賷 鬲爻賱賲 賱賯亘囟丞 丕賱賲賵鬲 兀賳 鬲賲賳丨賴 丨賷丕丞 噩丿賷丿丞 責責..
賴賱 賷賲賰賳 賱賴丕 兀賳 鬲睾賮乇 賱賴 禺賷丕賳鬲賴 亘丕禺鬲賮丕亍賴 賲賳 丨賷丕鬲賴丕 責
賴賱 賷賲賰賳 賱賱賲乇亍 鬲氐賵賷亘 兀禺胤丕亍賴...責
丕賳 賷賮賷 亘賵毓丿 賲丕 丨鬲賶 賵兀賳 賲囟賶 丕賱夭賲賳 毓賱賷賴 胤賵賷賱丕賸 責
賱賯丿 賰丕賳 賲丿賷賳丕賸 賱賳賮爻賴 賵賱賱丌禺乇賷賳 賮兀賲丕 毓賳 丕賱賵毓賵丿 睾賷乇 丕賱賲購氐丕賳丞 丕賱鬲賷 賳賯胤毓賴丕 賱賱丌禺乇賷賳 鬲賱丕丨賯賳丕 丿賵賲丕賸 ..鬲胤丕乇丿賳丕 賱丕 賷賲賰賳賳丕 丕賱鬲賴乇亘 賲賳賴丕..鬲購匕賰乇賳丕 丿賵賲丕賸 亘賵噩賵丿賴丕 ...
賵賴賳丕賱賰 賲賳 丕賱賵毓賵丿 賲丕 賳賯胤毓賴丕 賱兀賳賮爻賳丕 賵賱賰賳賳丕 賳禺賵賳賴丕
鬲賱賰 鬲購丨丕氐乇賳丕..鬲購爻噩賳 亘丿賵丕禺賱賳丕 ..鬲爻丨亘賳丕 賳丨賵 匕賵丕鬲賳丕 貙 鬲爻賱亘賳丕 丨賷丕鬲賳丕 卮賷卅丕賸 賮卮賷卅丕賸 ..賮賷 氐賲鬲 禺丕賳賯 ..賮賷 爻賰賵賳 賲賴賱賰 ..
鬲賲丕賲丕賸 賰賯乇賷丞 丕賱賳賲賱 丕賱鬲賷 賰丕賳 丕賱乇噩賱 賷丨鬲賮馗 亘賴丕 賮賷 亘賷鬲賴 丕賳賴丕 鬲賰亘乇 賷賵賲丕賸 亘毓丿 賷賵賲 賵鬲噩鬲丕丨 丕賱胤丕賵賱丞 賮賷 氐賲鬲 ..賲鬲賶 鬲賲賰賳 賲賳 兀賳 賷賳賯賱賴丕 賱賲賰丕賳 丌禺乇 毓賳丿卅匕賺 賷賰賵賳 賯丿 兀毓賱賳 亘丿亍 丨賷丕丞 噩丿賷丿丞...
January 12, 2021
Caution: This is NOT a happy book. But an engrossing book, it is indeed.
First, we meet Fredrik Welin. He lives on an isolated island in the north of Sweden. He is trained as a doctor but has not practiced in 12 years. He is 66 years old. The first thing we learn about him is that he takes a dip into the water under the ice on a daily basis. The water is so cold it burns.
"Every day I jump down into my black hole in order to get the feeling that I鈥檓 still alive."
From the publisher
When an unexpected visitor alters his life completely, thus begins an eccentric, elegiac journey鈥攐ne that shows Mankell at the very height of his powers as a novelist.
A deeply human tale of loss and redemption, Italian Shoes is a testament to the unpredictability of life, which breeds hope even in the face of tragedy.
This book is full of surprises and I do not want to reveal any of them.
I recommend to any mystery lover or a reader who enjoys delving into the psyche of the protaganist.
5 stars
First, we meet Fredrik Welin. He lives on an isolated island in the north of Sweden. He is trained as a doctor but has not practiced in 12 years. He is 66 years old. The first thing we learn about him is that he takes a dip into the water under the ice on a daily basis. The water is so cold it burns.
"Every day I jump down into my black hole in order to get the feeling that I鈥檓 still alive."
From the publisher
When an unexpected visitor alters his life completely, thus begins an eccentric, elegiac journey鈥攐ne that shows Mankell at the very height of his powers as a novelist.
A deeply human tale of loss and redemption, Italian Shoes is a testament to the unpredictability of life, which breeds hope even in the face of tragedy.
This book is full of surprises and I do not want to reveal any of them.
I recommend to any mystery lover or a reader who enjoys delving into the psyche of the protaganist.
5 stars
March 31, 2014
For the life of me, I don鈥檛 understand all the rave reviews this book has received. It only took me two days to read, and after a slew of verbose, florid and over used adjective laden novels, I was initially drawn in by the author鈥檚 sparse writing style, but, that wasn鈥檛 enough to make the novel.
It could have been such an interesting story but eventually became far too ridicules and unbelievable. Every chapter ended with another implausible scenario to the point that my finishing the book was simply curiosity to see how it would end. The characters were far too self absorbed and banal and I kept waiting for someone to actually have a bit of depth. The protagonist has spent years alone on an island, with that much time alone, you would have thought he spent at least a little time in his own depth, guess not. And the final nail in my criticism; the night the one arm woman spent the night and his actions. Really? This guy is that stupid and insensitive after what he鈥檚 recently been through with the women who have appeared in his life?
I admire protagonists who go through the morbid rehashing of their lives, those who pause and look at their role and the outcome and the influence they鈥檝e had on others, but this? No, this reads like a cheap script for a Hollywood movie geared towards the Nicholas Sparks crowd who wants a slightly darker change.
It could have been such an interesting story but eventually became far too ridicules and unbelievable. Every chapter ended with another implausible scenario to the point that my finishing the book was simply curiosity to see how it would end. The characters were far too self absorbed and banal and I kept waiting for someone to actually have a bit of depth. The protagonist has spent years alone on an island, with that much time alone, you would have thought he spent at least a little time in his own depth, guess not. And the final nail in my criticism; the night the one arm woman spent the night and his actions. Really? This guy is that stupid and insensitive after what he鈥檚 recently been through with the women who have appeared in his life?
I admire protagonists who go through the morbid rehashing of their lives, those who pause and look at their role and the outcome and the influence they鈥檝e had on others, but this? No, this reads like a cheap script for a Hollywood movie geared towards the Nicholas Sparks crowd who wants a slightly darker change.
September 24, 2009
The Boston Globe calls Henning Mankell the "master of atmosphere." This sense of atmosphere is what keeps me reading his Kurt Wallander mysteries, set in Sweden. This book, Italian Shoes, is not a Kurt Wallander mystery; however, it contains many of the elements of the Wallander series: a wounded main character who is lost in his own past failings; a landscape as cold and barren as the main character's life; and a parade of secondary characters as eccentric as they are deeply developed. Also, the book, while not a traditional mystery, gets at the mystery of why a man would hide himself away on an ice-locked island and how he manages to shake himself out of his isolation.
This main character, Fredrik Welin, is not one bit likable. He even kicks his beloved dog on occasion and leaves his old, ailing cat out in the cold. But he is interesting. As the revelations about his past life unfold with each new character's appearance, the plot becomes deeper and more engrossing.
Welin's story cannot have a happy ending, but it does have a resolution that leaves him open to life and what it has to offer.
This main character, Fredrik Welin, is not one bit likable. He even kicks his beloved dog on occasion and leaves his old, ailing cat out in the cold. But he is interesting. As the revelations about his past life unfold with each new character's appearance, the plot becomes deeper and more engrossing.
Welin's story cannot have a happy ending, but it does have a resolution that leaves him open to life and what it has to offer.
January 15, 2020
(review in English below)
Tinha algumas expectativas para esta leitura, mas n茫o me satisfez.
N茫o gostei da escrita, composta maioritariamente de frases curtas descrevendo factos inconsequentes, a fazer-me lembrar Camus n' O Estrangeiro e tamb茅m Murakami (eu sei, h谩 muita gente que gosta, mas eu n茫o...). Safam-se algumas breves descri莽玫es da natureza e observa莽玫es filos贸ficas, mas n茫o chegou.
Tamb茅m n茫o me interessei pela hist贸ria e n茫o gostei dos personagens.
Houve ainda v谩rios outros aspectos que me incomodaram, mas n茫o me vou alongar, simplesmente para mim este livro n茫o foi uma boa experi锚ncia.
I had some expectations for this reading, but they weren鈥檛 fulfilled.
I didn't like the writing, mostly made up of short phrases describing irrelevant facts, reminding me of Camus' The Stranger and also of Murakami (I know lots of people like them, but I don't...). There are some good descriptions of nature and philosophical observations, but it wasn't enough.
I also didn't care about the story nor the characters.
There were several other aspects that bothered me, but I won't dwell into those, this simply was not a good reading experience for me.
Tinha algumas expectativas para esta leitura, mas n茫o me satisfez.
N茫o gostei da escrita, composta maioritariamente de frases curtas descrevendo factos inconsequentes, a fazer-me lembrar Camus n' O Estrangeiro e tamb茅m Murakami (eu sei, h谩 muita gente que gosta, mas eu n茫o...). Safam-se algumas breves descri莽玫es da natureza e observa莽玫es filos贸ficas, mas n茫o chegou.
Tamb茅m n茫o me interessei pela hist贸ria e n茫o gostei dos personagens.
Houve ainda v谩rios outros aspectos que me incomodaram, mas n茫o me vou alongar, simplesmente para mim este livro n茫o foi uma boa experi锚ncia.
I had some expectations for this reading, but they weren鈥檛 fulfilled.
I didn't like the writing, mostly made up of short phrases describing irrelevant facts, reminding me of Camus' The Stranger and also of Murakami (I know lots of people like them, but I don't...). There are some good descriptions of nature and philosophical observations, but it wasn't enough.
I also didn't care about the story nor the characters.
There were several other aspects that bothered me, but I won't dwell into those, this simply was not a good reading experience for me.
June 12, 2016
Een bijzonder verhaal...Fredrik die 12 jaar alleen op zijn eiland woont en zijn demonen en jeugdtrauma's probeert te ontvluchten. Hij zit in een impasse...totdat z'n vroegere jeugdliefde over het ijs naar hem toe komt. Samen maken ze een roadtrip...waarbij Fredrik verschillende mensen, waaronder z'n dochter, ontmoet en langzamerhand z'n demonen en jeugdtrauma's onder ogen ziet. Hij krijgt weer zin in het leven.
Eenvoudig... maar weergaloos mooi geschreven verhaal!! Ik ga zeker meer van Henning Mankell lezen!
Eenvoudig... maar weergaloos mooi geschreven verhaal!! Ik ga zeker meer van Henning Mankell lezen!
November 8, 2020
Henning Mankell is known for his Kurt Wallander crime novels, so even though I knew this wasn't one of them, I still expected it to be a thriller of sorts. There is a man who lives alone on an isolated island, separated from the society, until, one day, someone from his past visits him and sets off a chain of events.
You too would think this would be a thriller, right?
But no, it's a typical tale of an old uninteresting man, looking back on his uninteresting life. A bunch of characters are introduced, all quirky and acting in various bizarre and confusing ways that pushes this laboured plot forward. Women are particularly mysterious, and act in the most irrational ways. Because women, who can really understand them, am I right?
The only thing I found authentic and believable in this whole story was the main character's guilt over the medical error which effectively ended his surgical career.
All in all, not my kind of thing. Twee characters, lots of things whose only purpose is to be symbolic (an anthill in the middle of the room, for example), and generic cliched conclusions.
You too would think this would be a thriller, right?
But no, it's a typical tale of an old uninteresting man, looking back on his uninteresting life. A bunch of characters are introduced, all quirky and acting in various bizarre and confusing ways that pushes this laboured plot forward. Women are particularly mysterious, and act in the most irrational ways. Because women, who can really understand them, am I right?
The only thing I found authentic and believable in this whole story was the main character's guilt over the medical error which effectively ended his surgical career.
All in all, not my kind of thing. Twee characters, lots of things whose only purpose is to be symbolic (an anthill in the middle of the room, for example), and generic cliched conclusions.
July 30, 2011
Not a mystery, for once! After distrastrously amputating the wrong arm of a patient, former surgen Fredik Welin hides himself out in his grandparents' old house on an isolated island in Sweden's outer archipelago. During the winter, just to remind himself he is still living, he cuts open a hole in the ice and drops down naked into the freezing water below. Life has had little meaning for him the last 12 years since his great catastrophe as a surgeon, but all that changes when one winter morning, he spots an old woman with a walker out on the ice of his island. It is Harriet, the lover he abandoned decades ago and she has come wanting him to keep a simple promise he made before leaving her: to show her a forest pool he last saw as a boy with his father many years ago. The appearance of Harriet in his life stirs up a number of complicated issues for Welin and he comes to the realization that he has hidden from his problems long enough. It is a story about love and sadness, life and death, not the easiest read but about making something of your life before it is too late.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 30, 2014
This was such a weird book. Felt very meandering and pointless and strangely plotted but like the kind of book that you could picture some really highbrow literary person saying was sooooooo amazing and had all these hidden themes and meanings but an average reader ( like me) would be totally baffled by...
March 6, 2019
melancholisch, wehm眉tig, wahrhaftig.
Ich musste die ganze Zeit 眉ber an Benedict Wells' Zitat: 鈥淒as Gegengift zu Einsamkeit ist nicht das wahllose Zusammensein mit irgendwelchen Leuten. Das Gegengift zu Einsamkeit ist Geborgenheit.鈥� denken.
Ich musste die ganze Zeit 眉ber an Benedict Wells' Zitat: 鈥淒as Gegengift zu Einsamkeit ist nicht das wahllose Zusammensein mit irgendwelchen Leuten. Das Gegengift zu Einsamkeit ist Geborgenheit.鈥� denken.
April 9, 2025
Last book I read by the author was the end-of his character Wallender. I had dust smotes in my eyes at the end (note - must vacuum and dust more). Thought this may have been the author鈥檚 very last work as it portends death in a visceral way. But no he lived longer. Now managed to pick up three works from the author at local charity shop.
Frederik Welen lives on a remote Island after making a mistake as a Surgeon, with an old cat and dog as company. Oh and of course a growing anthill in his lounge that is rising up the table side and consuming the table cloth.
An old girlfriend arrives and things take off. Whilst the landscape and story are bleak there comes a form of redemption.
The descriptions of impending doom are superb. One reminds me of lying in bed as a nine or ten year old and thinking about death and grappling with the concept of eternity as you do at that age (not):
鈥業鈥檓 not afraid of death. What I think is horrific is the fact I shall have be dead for so long.鈥�
鈥楤efore I die, I must know why I鈥檝e lived.鈥�
I remembered her once saying that life was like your shoes. You couldn鈥檛 simply expect or imagine that your shoes would fit perfectly. Shoes that pinched your feet were a fact of life.
I recall thinking: This person who is now dead is someone who in reality has never existed. Death wipes out everything that has lived. Death leaves no trace, apart from the things I鈥檝e always found so difficult to cope with. Love, emotions.
I experienced an increasing fear that I myself was approaching the end. I was afraid of the humiliations in store for me, and hoped I would be granted a gentle death, one which spared me from having to lie in bed for a long time before I reached the shore.
鈥楧og, bone, sorrow.鈥�
Mankell is an absolute master. I have two more books in my stash to read. Including鈥ait for it鈥� a Wallender prequel.
Frederik Welen lives on a remote Island after making a mistake as a Surgeon, with an old cat and dog as company. Oh and of course a growing anthill in his lounge that is rising up the table side and consuming the table cloth.
An old girlfriend arrives and things take off. Whilst the landscape and story are bleak there comes a form of redemption.
The descriptions of impending doom are superb. One reminds me of lying in bed as a nine or ten year old and thinking about death and grappling with the concept of eternity as you do at that age (not):
鈥業鈥檓 not afraid of death. What I think is horrific is the fact I shall have be dead for so long.鈥�
鈥楤efore I die, I must know why I鈥檝e lived.鈥�
I remembered her once saying that life was like your shoes. You couldn鈥檛 simply expect or imagine that your shoes would fit perfectly. Shoes that pinched your feet were a fact of life.
I recall thinking: This person who is now dead is someone who in reality has never existed. Death wipes out everything that has lived. Death leaves no trace, apart from the things I鈥檝e always found so difficult to cope with. Love, emotions.
I experienced an increasing fear that I myself was approaching the end. I was afraid of the humiliations in store for me, and hoped I would be granted a gentle death, one which spared me from having to lie in bed for a long time before I reached the shore.
鈥楧og, bone, sorrow.鈥�
Mankell is an absolute master. I have two more books in my stash to read. Including鈥ait for it鈥� a Wallender prequel.
May 1, 2018
A disgraced former doctor living a lonely life on a small island, frozen in winter, finds an appearance by former girlfriend from 40 years earlier begins to change his life. Very well written, moving story with real depth.
November 13, 2020
鈥淚 remembered her once saying that life was like your shoes. You couldn't simply expect or imagine that your shoes would fit perfectly. Shoes that pinched your feet were a fact of life.鈥�
鈥淭here is a special kind of beauty that manifests itself only in the faces of very old women. Their furrowed skin contains all the marks and memories imprinted by a life lived. Old women whose bodies the earth is crying out to embrace.鈥�
鈥淭here is a special kind of beauty that manifests itself only in the faces of very old women. Their furrowed skin contains all the marks and memories imprinted by a life lived. Old women whose bodies the earth is crying out to embrace.鈥�
September 13, 2011
What I knew of Henning Mankell prior to reading this novel is limited to a Greek TV interview (parts , , and here 鈥� the interview itself is in English, so feel free to watch) and also the various essays he鈥檚 published related to his activism in Mozambique and Palestine.
To a certain extent, therefore, as I read I was comparing the protagonist & narrator of Italian Shoes to the author himself. This is not to say that the novel is autobiographical, but there are specific themes in Italian Shoes that I recognized as being rooted in Mankell鈥檚 life history.
I would characterize this book as a very readable novel of introspection, in which a elderly man ponders his past and tries to come to term with himself, after a decade or so of living in isolation in a remote part of cold and wintry Sweden.
The retired physican Welin has only his immediate surrounds for company. His daily routine, as well as his mood and temperament, follows the seasonal changes in the landscape and the weather. The very presence of other human beings disturbs him profoundly. Other moving life forms are barely tolerated. It seems he takes a stronger liking to dead creatures & to insects, than to his own pets. And when the pets themselves die or disappear, it鈥檚 only then that he is able to express some concern for their existence (or not). Fortunately the narrator is a man of little words, as the brief notations in his logbook attest, and the reader isn鈥檛 assaulted by too heavy a dose of misanthropy.
When unexpected events disrupt Welin鈥檚 safe routine, he is forced to explain the whos, whys, whens and wherefores of his past. This is achieved in a factual and direct exposition so the timeline is easy to follow. Despite the ever-increasing eccentricity of the characters that enter the scene and move the story forward, the narrative follows a natural progression, and is presented in a laconic, straightforward manner. Welin is a retired doctor, this matter-of-fact narrative is typical of his persona.
It is this terseness that makes the novel readable; the pace progresses quickly, there are no drawn out meditations, convoluted flashbacks, or lengthy discussions between the characters slowing down an understanding of what is going on. Rather atypical of the detective fiction genre, for which Mankell is best known for.
This direct and straightforward exposition reminds me more of American fiction than anything else. Instead of the Scandinavian terrain, this story could easily be transposed to the rugged North American landscape. All the characters could very well be American or Canadian. I鈥檓 not saying that there is a lack of 鈥淪wedishness鈥� or 鈥淓uropeanness鈥� to the novel. Loners are a staple of American fiction writing (the characters, as well as the authors themselves) and that's another element in the novel's readability score. Likewise, the mirroring & interaction between the 鈥渓oner鈥� characters and their (usually remote) natural environment is a device & theme often found in contemporary American literature, more so than in the traditions of European literature.
In Italian Shoes Welin discovers he is not the only loner in his immediate family, and that there is some, if not valuable, comfort to be had in the company of strangers. I can't say I was drawn to the protagonist, nor did I find him particularly interesting. To what extent does Welin evolve by the story's end - does he act from the heart or out of necessity, when he realizes he cannot be self-sufficient anymore in his reclusive abode? Welin remains laconic to the end, without revealing his true motivations.
To a certain extent, therefore, as I read I was comparing the protagonist & narrator of Italian Shoes to the author himself. This is not to say that the novel is autobiographical, but there are specific themes in Italian Shoes that I recognized as being rooted in Mankell鈥檚 life history.
I would characterize this book as a very readable novel of introspection, in which a elderly man ponders his past and tries to come to term with himself, after a decade or so of living in isolation in a remote part of cold and wintry Sweden.
The retired physican Welin has only his immediate surrounds for company. His daily routine, as well as his mood and temperament, follows the seasonal changes in the landscape and the weather. The very presence of other human beings disturbs him profoundly. Other moving life forms are barely tolerated. It seems he takes a stronger liking to dead creatures & to insects, than to his own pets. And when the pets themselves die or disappear, it鈥檚 only then that he is able to express some concern for their existence (or not). Fortunately the narrator is a man of little words, as the brief notations in his logbook attest, and the reader isn鈥檛 assaulted by too heavy a dose of misanthropy.
When unexpected events disrupt Welin鈥檚 safe routine, he is forced to explain the whos, whys, whens and wherefores of his past. This is achieved in a factual and direct exposition so the timeline is easy to follow. Despite the ever-increasing eccentricity of the characters that enter the scene and move the story forward, the narrative follows a natural progression, and is presented in a laconic, straightforward manner. Welin is a retired doctor, this matter-of-fact narrative is typical of his persona.
It is this terseness that makes the novel readable; the pace progresses quickly, there are no drawn out meditations, convoluted flashbacks, or lengthy discussions between the characters slowing down an understanding of what is going on. Rather atypical of the detective fiction genre, for which Mankell is best known for.
This direct and straightforward exposition reminds me more of American fiction than anything else. Instead of the Scandinavian terrain, this story could easily be transposed to the rugged North American landscape. All the characters could very well be American or Canadian. I鈥檓 not saying that there is a lack of 鈥淪wedishness鈥� or 鈥淓uropeanness鈥� to the novel. Loners are a staple of American fiction writing (the characters, as well as the authors themselves) and that's another element in the novel's readability score. Likewise, the mirroring & interaction between the 鈥渓oner鈥� characters and their (usually remote) natural environment is a device & theme often found in contemporary American literature, more so than in the traditions of European literature.
In Italian Shoes Welin discovers he is not the only loner in his immediate family, and that there is some, if not valuable, comfort to be had in the company of strangers. I can't say I was drawn to the protagonist, nor did I find him particularly interesting. To what extent does Welin evolve by the story's end - does he act from the heart or out of necessity, when he realizes he cannot be self-sufficient anymore in his reclusive abode? Welin remains laconic to the end, without revealing his true motivations.
September 9, 2013
Swedish author Henning Mankell is known for his Kurt Wallander mystery series, books I intend to check out even though I am not a huge fan of the genre. The writing, at times sparse, at times lyrical, always wonderful, pushed this novel from a 4 to a 5 star for me. The very first quote drew me in..."When the shoe fits, you don't think about the foot..." Chuang Chou. The character development is subtle and spot on as you are drawn into the main character's life and come to understand the choices he has made.
I had to find out what the title had to do with a surgeon who chose self-exile on a desolate, northern Swedish island following his amputation of the wrong arm from a patient. I'll leave you with a quote, "You sometimes get the feeling that trees are whispering, flowers murmering, berry bushes humming unknown melodies, and that the wild roses in the crevices behind Grandma's apple tree are playing beautiful tunes on invisible instruments."
Heavy sigh!
I had to find out what the title had to do with a surgeon who chose self-exile on a desolate, northern Swedish island following his amputation of the wrong arm from a patient. I'll leave you with a quote, "You sometimes get the feeling that trees are whispering, flowers murmering, berry bushes humming unknown melodies, and that the wild roses in the crevices behind Grandma's apple tree are playing beautiful tunes on invisible instruments."
Heavy sigh!
August 18, 2021
芦袙芯薪邪 泻芯谢懈褋褜 褉芯蟹锌芯胁褨写邪谢邪, 褖芯 卸懈褌褌褟 谢褞写懈薪懈 褌邪泻械, 褟泻 褩褩 褋褌邪胁谢械薪薪褟 写芯 褋胁芯谐芯 胁蟹褍褌褌褟. 袛邪褉械屑薪芯 胁褨褉懈褌懈 褔懈 锌械褉械泻芯薪褍胁邪褌懈 褋械斜械 胁 褌芯屑褍, 褖芯 胁芯薪芯 锌邪褋褍褦 写芯 薪芯谐懈. 袪械邪谢褜薪褨褋褌褜 褍 褌芯屑褍, 褖芯 胁蟹褍褌褌褟 屑褍谢褟褦.禄
携 薪械 芯褔褨泻褍胁邪谢邪 胁褨写 褑褨褦褩 褨褋褌芯褉褨褩 谐械褌褜 薪褨褔芯谐芯. 袧邪胁褨褌褜 褏懈斜薪芯 写褍屑邪谢邪, 褖芯 褑械 褌褉懈谢械褉.
袗 锌芯褌褨屑 斜褍胁 褏芯谢芯写 (锌褉懈胁褨褌 芦孝械褉芯褉禄!), 褋邪屑芯褌薪褨褋褌褜 褨 褌褟谐邪褉 褉褨褕械薪褜, 褖芯 锌褉懈胁械谢懈 谐械褉芯褟 写芯 写芯斜褉芯胁褨谢褜薪芯褩 褨蟹芯谢褟褑褨褩. 袗 褌邪泻芯卸 锌褉懈胁懈写 蟹 屑懈薪褍谢芯谐芯, 褖芯 蟹屑褍褋懈褌褜 褋锌谢邪褌懈褌懈 斜芯褉谐 蟹邪 胁谢邪褋薪褨 胁褔懈薪泻懈.
袛邪胁薪械薪褜泻芯 泻薪懈谐邪 薪械 蟹邪锌邪写邪谢邪 屑械薪褨 胁 褋械褉褑械 蟹 锌械褉褕懈褏 褋褌芯褉褨薪芯泻 鈾モ櫏鈾�
携 薪械 芯褔褨泻褍胁邪谢邪 胁褨写 褑褨褦褩 褨褋褌芯褉褨褩 谐械褌褜 薪褨褔芯谐芯. 袧邪胁褨褌褜 褏懈斜薪芯 写褍屑邪谢邪, 褖芯 褑械 褌褉懈谢械褉.
袗 锌芯褌褨屑 斜褍胁 褏芯谢芯写 (锌褉懈胁褨褌 芦孝械褉芯褉禄!), 褋邪屑芯褌薪褨褋褌褜 褨 褌褟谐邪褉 褉褨褕械薪褜, 褖芯 锌褉懈胁械谢懈 谐械褉芯褟 写芯 写芯斜褉芯胁褨谢褜薪芯褩 褨蟹芯谢褟褑褨褩. 袗 褌邪泻芯卸 锌褉懈胁懈写 蟹 屑懈薪褍谢芯谐芯, 褖芯 蟹屑褍褋懈褌褜 褋锌谢邪褌懈褌懈 斜芯褉谐 蟹邪 胁谢邪褋薪褨 胁褔懈薪泻懈.
袛邪胁薪械薪褜泻芯 泻薪懈谐邪 薪械 蟹邪锌邪写邪谢邪 屑械薪褨 胁 褋械褉褑械 蟹 锌械褉褕懈褏 褋褌芯褉褨薪芯泻 鈾モ櫏鈾�
February 18, 2020
Truly wonderful, moving book. I don't want to write much about it because I have the follow-up book that picks up 8 years after the end of this one that I want to jump right into. I loved this book for many reasons. Old man living solitary life on island off Sweden's coast with his dog and cat. The solitary part ends when an old woman appears out on the ice with her walker.
Circumstances change slowly at first and then very dramatically.
LOVED the book.
Kindle Unlimited
Circumstances change slowly at first and then very dramatically.
LOVED the book.
Kindle Unlimited
October 30, 2024
"兀賳丕 賵兀賳鬲賻, 賯丕賱鬲 丌乇賷賷鬲. 兀賳丕 賵兀賳鬲, 賵賴丕 賴賷 丕賱賯氐丞 丕賳鬲賴鬲."
- 賲賳 丕賱兀丿亘 丕賱爻賵賷丿賷, 賷購丨賰賶 亘兀賳 乇噩賱 賰亘賷乇 亘丕賱爻賳 亘毓賲乇 丕賱爻鬲丞 賵丕賱爻鬲賷賳 賲購鬲賯丕毓丿 賰丕賳 賷賲丕乇爻 賲賴賳丞 丕賱胤亘, 賷毓賷卮 亘噩夭賷乇丞 卮亘賴 賳丕卅賷丞 毓賳 丕賱毓丕賱賲 亘毓丿 鬲乇賰 賲賴賳丞 丕賱胤亘, 毓丕卮 賲毓 賰賱亘鬲賴 賵賯胤賴, 賵賴賳丕賰 爻丕毓賷 丕賱亘乇賷丿 丕賱卮禺氐賷丞 丕賱鬲賷 噩毓賱鬲賳賷 兀囟丨賰 毓丿丞 賲乇丕鬲, 賵賮賷 賷賵賲 賲賳 丕賱兀賷丕賲 馗賴乇鬲 鬲賱賰 丕賱賲乇兀丞 丕賱胤丕毓賳丞 亘丕賱爻賳 賵鬲兀禺匕 丕賱兀丨丿丕孬 賮賷 爻賷丕賯 丌禺乇, 賲賳 賴丿賵亍 賵毓購夭賱丞, 廿賱賶 丕賱賲丕囟賷 賵匕賰乇賷丕鬲賴 賵賲爻鬲賯亘賱賴 賵賲丕 賷丨賵賷賴 賲賳 賲賮丕噩丌鬲.
- 賰丕賳 賵丿賷 兀鬲賰賱賲 毓賳 賰賱 丕賱卮禺氐賷丕鬲 賱賰賳 賱丕 兀賵丿 兀賳 兀丨乇賯 丕賱兀丨丿丕孬貨 賮丕賱賯丕乇卅 爻賷賰鬲卮賮賴丕 亘賳賮爻賴
- 兀亘丿毓 丕賱賰丕鬲亘 "賴賳賷賳睾 賲丕賳賰賱" 賮賷 鬲胤乇賯賴 廿賱賶 賲賵丕囟賷毓 毓丿賷丿丞, 鬲丕乇丞 賷兀禺匕賳丕 賮賷 乇丨賱丞 毓賳 丕賱胤賯爻 賵丕賱賲賳丕禺, 賵鬲丕乇丞 毓賳 丕賱噩睾乇丕賮賷丕 賵丕賱鬲丕乇賷禺, 賵鬲丕乇丞 毓賳 丕賱爻賷丕爻丞 賵夭毓賲丕亍 丕賱丿賵賱 賵鬲丕乇丞 賮賷 丕賱胤亘 賵丕賱毓賱賵賲, 賵鬲丕乇丞 兀禺乇賶 賮賷 氐賳毓 丕賱兀丨匕賷丞 賵賰丕賳 賲賳 兀賴賲 丕賱賳賯丕胤 賮賷 賴匕賴 丕賱乇賵丕賷丞
賯乇兀鬲 賱賳賮爻 丕賱賰丕鬲亘 乇賵丕賷丞 "爻乇 丕賱賳丕乇" 賱賰賳 賴匕賴 丕賱乇賵丕賷丞 賱丕賲爻鬲賳賷
胤丕賱 丕賱夭賲賳 兀賵 賯氐乇, 賰賱 爻丕賯 爻賷購爻賯賶 亘賲丕 爻賯賶 賵賴賳丕 丕賱亘胤賱 賰丕賳 賴丕乇亘 賲賳 賲丕囟賷賴 賵賰丕賳 丿丕賮賳 賴匕丕 丕賱賲丕囟賷 賮賷 賯亘乇 賲購毓鬲賲 廿賱賶 兀賳 噩丕亍 卮禺氐 賵賳亘賾卮 賮賷 鬲賱賰 丕賱丨賮乇丞 丕賱賲毓鬲賲丞 賵兀禺乇噩 賰賱 賲丕賮賷賴丕
"-賵氐賱賳丕 丨鬲賶 賴匕賴 丕賱賳賯胤丞
-賰賳丕 賯丿 賵氐賱賳丕 丨鬲賶 賴匕賴 丕賱賳賯胤丞
賱賷爻 兀亘毓丿 賲賳 匕賱賰. 賵賱賰賳 丨鬲賶 賴匕賴 丕賱賳賯胤丞"
猸愶笍乇賵丕賷丞 卮鬲賵賷丞 亘丕賲鬲賷丕夭 賵賲賳 鬲賵氐賷丕鬲賷 賱賰賲 賵鬲丨丿賷丿丕賸 賲毓 鬲睾賷賾乇 丕賱噩賵, 賵丕賱鬲乇噩賲丞 噩賲賷賱丞 噩丿丕賸
- 賲賳 丕賱兀丿亘 丕賱爻賵賷丿賷, 賷購丨賰賶 亘兀賳 乇噩賱 賰亘賷乇 亘丕賱爻賳 亘毓賲乇 丕賱爻鬲丞 賵丕賱爻鬲賷賳 賲購鬲賯丕毓丿 賰丕賳 賷賲丕乇爻 賲賴賳丞 丕賱胤亘, 賷毓賷卮 亘噩夭賷乇丞 卮亘賴 賳丕卅賷丞 毓賳 丕賱毓丕賱賲 亘毓丿 鬲乇賰 賲賴賳丞 丕賱胤亘, 毓丕卮 賲毓 賰賱亘鬲賴 賵賯胤賴, 賵賴賳丕賰 爻丕毓賷 丕賱亘乇賷丿 丕賱卮禺氐賷丞 丕賱鬲賷 噩毓賱鬲賳賷 兀囟丨賰 毓丿丞 賲乇丕鬲, 賵賮賷 賷賵賲 賲賳 丕賱兀賷丕賲 馗賴乇鬲 鬲賱賰 丕賱賲乇兀丞 丕賱胤丕毓賳丞 亘丕賱爻賳 賵鬲兀禺匕 丕賱兀丨丿丕孬 賮賷 爻賷丕賯 丌禺乇, 賲賳 賴丿賵亍 賵毓購夭賱丞, 廿賱賶 丕賱賲丕囟賷 賵匕賰乇賷丕鬲賴 賵賲爻鬲賯亘賱賴 賵賲丕 賷丨賵賷賴 賲賳 賲賮丕噩丌鬲.
- 賰丕賳 賵丿賷 兀鬲賰賱賲 毓賳 賰賱 丕賱卮禺氐賷丕鬲 賱賰賳 賱丕 兀賵丿 兀賳 兀丨乇賯 丕賱兀丨丿丕孬貨 賮丕賱賯丕乇卅 爻賷賰鬲卮賮賴丕 亘賳賮爻賴
- 兀亘丿毓 丕賱賰丕鬲亘 "賴賳賷賳睾 賲丕賳賰賱" 賮賷 鬲胤乇賯賴 廿賱賶 賲賵丕囟賷毓 毓丿賷丿丞, 鬲丕乇丞 賷兀禺匕賳丕 賮賷 乇丨賱丞 毓賳 丕賱胤賯爻 賵丕賱賲賳丕禺, 賵鬲丕乇丞 毓賳 丕賱噩睾乇丕賮賷丕 賵丕賱鬲丕乇賷禺, 賵鬲丕乇丞 毓賳 丕賱爻賷丕爻丞 賵夭毓賲丕亍 丕賱丿賵賱 賵鬲丕乇丞 賮賷 丕賱胤亘 賵丕賱毓賱賵賲, 賵鬲丕乇丞 兀禺乇賶 賮賷 氐賳毓 丕賱兀丨匕賷丞 賵賰丕賳 賲賳 兀賴賲 丕賱賳賯丕胤 賮賷 賴匕賴 丕賱乇賵丕賷丞
賯乇兀鬲 賱賳賮爻 丕賱賰丕鬲亘 乇賵丕賷丞 "爻乇 丕賱賳丕乇" 賱賰賳 賴匕賴 丕賱乇賵丕賷丞 賱丕賲爻鬲賳賷
胤丕賱 丕賱夭賲賳 兀賵 賯氐乇, 賰賱 爻丕賯 爻賷購爻賯賶 亘賲丕 爻賯賶 賵賴賳丕 丕賱亘胤賱 賰丕賳 賴丕乇亘 賲賳 賲丕囟賷賴 賵賰丕賳 丿丕賮賳 賴匕丕 丕賱賲丕囟賷 賮賷 賯亘乇 賲購毓鬲賲 廿賱賶 兀賳 噩丕亍 卮禺氐 賵賳亘賾卮 賮賷 鬲賱賰 丕賱丨賮乇丞 丕賱賲毓鬲賲丞 賵兀禺乇噩 賰賱 賲丕賮賷賴丕
"-賵氐賱賳丕 丨鬲賶 賴匕賴 丕賱賳賯胤丞
-賰賳丕 賯丿 賵氐賱賳丕 丨鬲賶 賴匕賴 丕賱賳賯胤丞
賱賷爻 兀亘毓丿 賲賳 匕賱賰. 賵賱賰賳 丨鬲賶 賴匕賴 丕賱賳賯胤丞"
猸愶笍乇賵丕賷丞 卮鬲賵賷丞 亘丕賲鬲賷丕夭 賵賲賳 鬲賵氐賷丕鬲賷 賱賰賲 賵鬲丨丿賷丿丕賸 賲毓 鬲睾賷賾乇 丕賱噩賵, 賵丕賱鬲乇噩賲丞 噩賲賷賱丞 噩丿丕賸
March 6, 2014
BREAKING NEWS JAN 2011: Brannagh and Hopkins are filming this book.
Product Description
Once a successful surgeon, Frederick Welin now lives in self-imposed exile on an island in the Swedish archipelago. Nearly twelve years have passed since he was disgraced for attempting to cover up a tragic mishap on the operating table. One morning in the depths of winter, he sees a hunched figure struggling towards him across the ice. His past is about to catch up with him. The figure approaching in the freezing cold is Harriet, the only woman he has ever loved, the woman he abandoned in order to go and study in America forty years earlier. She has sought him out in the hope that he will honour a promise made many years ago. Now in the late stages of a terminal illness, she wants to visit a small lake in northern Sweden, a place Welin's father took him once as a boy. He upholds his pledge and drives her to this beautiful pool hidden deep in the forest. On the journey through the desolate snow-covered landscape, Welin reflects on his impoverished childhood and the woman he later left behind. However, once there Welin discovers that Harriet has left the biggest surprise until last. "Italian Shoes" is as compelling as it is disturbing. Through his anti-hero Welin, Mankell tackles ageing and death with sensitivity and acuity, and as with the critically acclaimed Depths, delivers a moving tour-de-force on the frailty of mankind.
Product Description
Once a successful surgeon, Frederick Welin now lives in self-imposed exile on an island in the Swedish archipelago. Nearly twelve years have passed since he was disgraced for attempting to cover up a tragic mishap on the operating table. One morning in the depths of winter, he sees a hunched figure struggling towards him across the ice. His past is about to catch up with him. The figure approaching in the freezing cold is Harriet, the only woman he has ever loved, the woman he abandoned in order to go and study in America forty years earlier. She has sought him out in the hope that he will honour a promise made many years ago. Now in the late stages of a terminal illness, she wants to visit a small lake in northern Sweden, a place Welin's father took him once as a boy. He upholds his pledge and drives her to this beautiful pool hidden deep in the forest. On the journey through the desolate snow-covered landscape, Welin reflects on his impoverished childhood and the woman he later left behind. However, once there Welin discovers that Harriet has left the biggest surprise until last. "Italian Shoes" is as compelling as it is disturbing. Through his anti-hero Welin, Mankell tackles ageing and death with sensitivity and acuity, and as with the critically acclaimed Depths, delivers a moving tour-de-force on the frailty of mankind.
May 8, 2017
賲丐賱賲 兀賳 鬲賰賵賳 丕賱爻亘亘 賮賷 噩毓賱 丨賷丕丞 卮禺氐 賲丕 賲兀爻丕賵賷丞 賵鬲噩賴賱 匕賱賰. 兀賳 鬲賰賵賳 丕賱爻亘亘 賮賷 鬲卮賰賱 卮禺氐賷丞 賴匕丕 丕賱卮禺氐 賲賳 丕賱鬲乇爻亘丕鬲 丕賱賳賮爻賷丞 丕賱爻賱亘賷丞 丕賱鬲賷 兀賳鬲 兀丨丿孬鬲賴丕 賵兀賳鬲 睾丕賮賱 賰賱賷丕賸 毓賳 賰賱 匕賱賰.
賴賳丕 丕賱卮禺氐賷丞 丕賱乇卅賷爻賷丞 胤亘賷亘 賲鬲賯丕毓丿 賮賷 丕賱爻丕丿爻丞 賵丕賱爻鬲賷賳貙 賷毓賷卮 賮賷 賰賵禺 賮賷 兀丨丿 丕賱噩夭乇 噩賳賵亘 丕賱爻賵賷丿 賲賳匕 12 毓丕賲丕賸 賲毓 賯胤賴 賵賰賱亘賴. 賱丕 賷賵噩丿 夭丕卅乇賷賳 爻賵賶 爻丕毓賷 丕賱亘乇賷丿 丕賱匕賷 賷夭賵乇賴 賱賷賵氐賱 賱賴 丕賱廿毓賱丕賳丕鬲 丕賱鬲噩丕乇賷丞 丕賱鬲賷 鬲氐賱 賱亘乇賷丿賴. 賮賷 丨賷丕丞 賴丕丿卅丞 亘毓賷丿 毓賳 氐禺亘 丕賱賲丿賷賳丞 賵賮賷 乇賵鬲賷賳 賷賵賲賷 賱賴匕丕 丕賱乇噩賱 賷賮丕噩卅 亘夭賷丕乇丞 兀丨丿 賲丕 賵鬲亘丿兀 乇丨賱丞 丕賱睾賵氐 賮賷 兀毓賲丕賯 賳賮爻 丕賱卮禺氐賷丕鬲 丕賱鬲賷 爻鬲禺乇噩 丕賱賵丕丨丿丞 鬲賱賵 丕賱兀禺乇賶 賮賷 丕賱乇賵丕賷丞.
賱賯丿 賵馗賮 賴賳賷賳睾 賲丕賳賰賱 丕賱兀噩賵丕亍 丕賱卮鬲賵賷丞 丕賱賯丕爻賷丞 亘卮賰賱 噩賲賷賱 鬲鬲賳丕爻亘 賲毓 賯爻丕賵丞 賵丕賯毓 丨賷丕丞 賴匕賴 丕賱卮禺氐賷丕鬲 丕賱賳賮爻賷丞.
毓賳鬲 賱賷 賴匕賴 丕賱乇賵丕賷丞 賰孬賷乇丕賸貙 乇亘賲丕 爻鬲賰賵賳 毓丕丿賷丞 賱賱亘毓囟 賵賱賰賳 亘丕賱賳爻亘丞 賱賷 賵噩丿鬲 賮賷賴丕 亘毓囟 鬲爻丕丐賱丕鬲賷 丕賱鬲賷 賲丕夭賱鬲 兀亘丨孬 毓賳 兀噩賵亘鬲賴丕.
鬲乇噩賲丞 賵爻賷胤丞 毓賳 丕賱賮乇賳爻賷丞 賵賴賷 噩賷丿丞 噩丿丕賸
賴賳丕 丕賱卮禺氐賷丞 丕賱乇卅賷爻賷丞 胤亘賷亘 賲鬲賯丕毓丿 賮賷 丕賱爻丕丿爻丞 賵丕賱爻鬲賷賳貙 賷毓賷卮 賮賷 賰賵禺 賮賷 兀丨丿 丕賱噩夭乇 噩賳賵亘 丕賱爻賵賷丿 賲賳匕 12 毓丕賲丕賸 賲毓 賯胤賴 賵賰賱亘賴. 賱丕 賷賵噩丿 夭丕卅乇賷賳 爻賵賶 爻丕毓賷 丕賱亘乇賷丿 丕賱匕賷 賷夭賵乇賴 賱賷賵氐賱 賱賴 丕賱廿毓賱丕賳丕鬲 丕賱鬲噩丕乇賷丞 丕賱鬲賷 鬲氐賱 賱亘乇賷丿賴. 賮賷 丨賷丕丞 賴丕丿卅丞 亘毓賷丿 毓賳 氐禺亘 丕賱賲丿賷賳丞 賵賮賷 乇賵鬲賷賳 賷賵賲賷 賱賴匕丕 丕賱乇噩賱 賷賮丕噩卅 亘夭賷丕乇丞 兀丨丿 賲丕 賵鬲亘丿兀 乇丨賱丞 丕賱睾賵氐 賮賷 兀毓賲丕賯 賳賮爻 丕賱卮禺氐賷丕鬲 丕賱鬲賷 爻鬲禺乇噩 丕賱賵丕丨丿丞 鬲賱賵 丕賱兀禺乇賶 賮賷 丕賱乇賵丕賷丞.
賱賯丿 賵馗賮 賴賳賷賳睾 賲丕賳賰賱 丕賱兀噩賵丕亍 丕賱卮鬲賵賷丞 丕賱賯丕爻賷丞 亘卮賰賱 噩賲賷賱 鬲鬲賳丕爻亘 賲毓 賯爻丕賵丞 賵丕賯毓 丨賷丕丞 賴匕賴 丕賱卮禺氐賷丕鬲 丕賱賳賮爻賷丞.
毓賳鬲 賱賷 賴匕賴 丕賱乇賵丕賷丞 賰孬賷乇丕賸貙 乇亘賲丕 爻鬲賰賵賳 毓丕丿賷丞 賱賱亘毓囟 賵賱賰賳 亘丕賱賳爻亘丞 賱賷 賵噩丿鬲 賮賷賴丕 亘毓囟 鬲爻丕丐賱丕鬲賷 丕賱鬲賷 賲丕夭賱鬲 兀亘丨孬 毓賳 兀噩賵亘鬲賴丕.
鬲乇噩賲丞 賵爻賷胤丞 毓賳 丕賱賮乇賳爻賷丞 賵賴賷 噩賷丿丞 噩丿丕賸
July 26, 2019
El primer libro que leo del autor y me gust贸. Est谩 muy bien escrito, y transmite efectivamente el ambiente a menudo hostil, una isla fr铆a cubierta de nieve donde nunca me hubiera imaginado vivir, pero ah铆 me traslade con este libro鈥�
El autor maneja muy bien la atmosfera que crea y ese ambiente clim谩tico que influye para mi directamente en la historia y los personajes, hasta lo sent铆s mientras lo lees
Los personajes van teniendo una marcada evoluci贸n dentro de la historia en el tiempo. Una novela intimista., donde hay replanteos y nuevos tiempos
Por lo que surge de la historia los personajes no est谩n muy con contacto con las tecnolog铆as lo que hace mucho m谩s rico todo lo que refiere a las relaciones entre ellos, su sentir鈥� mucho espacio para, pensar, caminar, y relacionarse, me pareci贸 muy interesante ese aspecto
El autor maneja muy bien la atmosfera que crea y ese ambiente clim谩tico que influye para mi directamente en la historia y los personajes, hasta lo sent铆s mientras lo lees
Los personajes van teniendo una marcada evoluci贸n dentro de la historia en el tiempo. Una novela intimista., donde hay replanteos y nuevos tiempos
Por lo que surge de la historia los personajes no est谩n muy con contacto con las tecnolog铆as lo que hace mucho m谩s rico todo lo que refiere a las relaciones entre ellos, su sentir鈥� mucho espacio para, pensar, caminar, y relacionarse, me pareci贸 muy interesante ese aspecto
July 27, 2019
I read this for my book group. It tells the story of Fredrik Welin, a disgraced surgeon, who lives alone on a small island. He imagines that his life will go on, unchanging, with only the visits of a hypochondriac postman to remind him of the outside world, and only his dog, and cat, for company, when a woman appears on the ice. She is the woman he once left behind, many years ago, and now she has come to ask him to take her to the pool, he once promised to visit with her. That was before he disappeared, without contacting her. Now, Harriet is dying and she is here to drag him back into life.
This is the strange tale of an odd, unlikeable set of characters. Fredrik has to confront his past, but he has several unpleasant character traits, which make you wonder why on Earth Harriet wanted to see him again. This could have been moving 鈥� but it wasn鈥檛.
This is the strange tale of an odd, unlikeable set of characters. Fredrik has to confront his past, but he has several unpleasant character traits, which make you wonder why on Earth Harriet wanted to see him again. This could have been moving 鈥� but it wasn鈥檛.
July 7, 2023
Audible Plus 9 hours 58 min. Narrated by Henry Strozier (A+)
Life on a small Swedish island. Self-imposed isolation. Unexpected family. Memories. Dealing with mortality, others and your own. Oh yes, and the importance of good fitting shoes. A great listen. Thank you, Chrissie, for your own great review.
Life on a small Swedish island. Self-imposed isolation. Unexpected family. Memories. Dealing with mortality, others and your own. Oh yes, and the importance of good fitting shoes. A great listen. Thank you, Chrissie, for your own great review.
January 11, 2010
ITALIAN SHOES by Henning Mankell goes to prove, once again, that a really good writer is a really good writer, regardless of the genre, styling, or setting of the book. Exploring the themes of estrangement, loss, fear and isolation ITALIAN SHOES isn't a crime fiction novel, it's a poignant, beautiful, sad, uplifting and evocative look at a man, his life, his mistakes and his redemption.
Frederick Welin is sixty-six years old, a former surgeon who has spent the last 12 years of his life, purposely exiled to the island home that his grandparents left him. He has carved out a life with his dog, his cat, and occasional visits from Jansson the postman. Woken just before dawn on a dark December morning, the sound of the "ice singing" evokes memories of his past - his father, his grandparents, his island, his professional and personal mistakes.
In a strange way he's not surprised then, when early in the New Year his past comes back to him in the form of a little old lady on a walker, making painful slow progress across the ice towards him. He had loved Harriet H枚rnfeldt intensely, and he'd abandoned her abruptly in 1966. Dying of cancer, she has come looking for him. She wants answers, she wants Frederick to finally make good on a promise he made all those years ago. She wants to see the pool in the middle of the northern forest, where he talked of one joyous day with his father.
A road journey, in a beat up old car, in the harshest weather in decades, follows. Unsure if he can even find the pond, the two embark not just on a quest for the place, but also, in a touchingly clumsy manner, some understanding of how they both got to where they are now jointly and separately in their lives. They argue and bicker, rescue abandoned dogs, leave behind Frederick's own pets in a mildly distracting way, but find the pool. Frederick nearly loses his own life on the ice in the pond, Harriet saves him, they move on in the journey, to somebody, somewhere... but more would be telling too much.
ITALIAN SHOES is a moving, tightly drawn portrait of a couple of people who could seem, on the face of it, emotionally shut down and withdrawn. What Mankell does is draw you into the lives and thoughts of Frederick mostly, and Harriet to a slightly lesser degree as Frederick is forced to consider his past and how he wants his future to be. What Mankell has done is written a central character who it is really easy to dislike, and yet... A profoundly self-centred man, Frederick's life has been an odd combination of bravado and running away. He's a faithless lover, a haphazard animal owner, a brilliant surgeon whose arrogance led him to make a profound mistake - which he ran away from. A snoop, a bad-tempered man, a loner who regards the world with suspicion there's an awful lot to dislike about Frederick, and yet, Frederick is very human and his slow, hesitant steps to redemption, recompense, are profoundly touching in the main because of their simple humanity.
Quiet, intense, low key almost ITALIAN SHOES is a beautiful, glorious tale of confrontation, human frailty and redemption.
Frederick Welin is sixty-six years old, a former surgeon who has spent the last 12 years of his life, purposely exiled to the island home that his grandparents left him. He has carved out a life with his dog, his cat, and occasional visits from Jansson the postman. Woken just before dawn on a dark December morning, the sound of the "ice singing" evokes memories of his past - his father, his grandparents, his island, his professional and personal mistakes.
In a strange way he's not surprised then, when early in the New Year his past comes back to him in the form of a little old lady on a walker, making painful slow progress across the ice towards him. He had loved Harriet H枚rnfeldt intensely, and he'd abandoned her abruptly in 1966. Dying of cancer, she has come looking for him. She wants answers, she wants Frederick to finally make good on a promise he made all those years ago. She wants to see the pool in the middle of the northern forest, where he talked of one joyous day with his father.
A road journey, in a beat up old car, in the harshest weather in decades, follows. Unsure if he can even find the pond, the two embark not just on a quest for the place, but also, in a touchingly clumsy manner, some understanding of how they both got to where they are now jointly and separately in their lives. They argue and bicker, rescue abandoned dogs, leave behind Frederick's own pets in a mildly distracting way, but find the pool. Frederick nearly loses his own life on the ice in the pond, Harriet saves him, they move on in the journey, to somebody, somewhere... but more would be telling too much.
ITALIAN SHOES is a moving, tightly drawn portrait of a couple of people who could seem, on the face of it, emotionally shut down and withdrawn. What Mankell does is draw you into the lives and thoughts of Frederick mostly, and Harriet to a slightly lesser degree as Frederick is forced to consider his past and how he wants his future to be. What Mankell has done is written a central character who it is really easy to dislike, and yet... A profoundly self-centred man, Frederick's life has been an odd combination of bravado and running away. He's a faithless lover, a haphazard animal owner, a brilliant surgeon whose arrogance led him to make a profound mistake - which he ran away from. A snoop, a bad-tempered man, a loner who regards the world with suspicion there's an awful lot to dislike about Frederick, and yet, Frederick is very human and his slow, hesitant steps to redemption, recompense, are profoundly touching in the main because of their simple humanity.
Quiet, intense, low key almost ITALIAN SHOES is a beautiful, glorious tale of confrontation, human frailty and redemption.
November 22, 2011
This book produced a number of vivid and often bizarre images for me. Here is a list of the most memorable: the desolate island seascape; the cold white of the bitter winter; the living room with the ant hill slowly consuming the table cloth; Jansson, the hypochondriac postman with the hydrocopter and his many layers of clothes; Fredrik chopping a hole in the ice and bathing in the icy sea water just to remind himself that he is alive; the appearance of Harriet after 37 years, standing with her walker on the ice, looking at Fredrik; Fredrik frantically hauling Harriet into his cabin when she collapses on the ice; Fredrik and Harriet on their quest to visit the forest pool of Fredrik's youth; Harriet making her way to the center of the frozen pool with her walker, then improbably rescuing Fredrik after he falls through the ice; their time in the back seat of a car parked on a logging road, so different from the experiences of youth; Fredrik's first glimpse of Louise in her pink dressing gown and high heeled shoes, emerging from her caravan in the woods; the snow covered outdoor boxing ring in the woods; Giaconelli's workshop in the abandoned village; Fredrik, Louise, and Harriet sleeping in the caravan's one bed, Sima running at Fredrik with a samurai sword, calling him a pedophile; the successful Mid-Summer party in honor of Harriet, the tender care given Harriet by Fredrik and Louise; a do-it-yourself cremation.
The expected movie version of Italian Shoes will have a lot of images to choose from when translating this book to film. I look forward to seeing the directors version of them.
The expected movie version of Italian Shoes will have a lot of images to choose from when translating this book to film. I look forward to seeing the directors version of them.
January 29, 2013
Com este livro, conheci um novo autor que consegue expressar emo莽玫es e fazer chegar essas mesmas emo莽玫es a quem tiver oportunidade de o ler.
脡 um livro que fala ao cora莽茫o sobretudo acerca de solid茫o. Um livro que nos transporta ao futuro, permite-nos ver um pouco das consequ锚ncias quando nos desligamos e n茫o enfrentamos as realidades. Fala do que 茅 envelhecer e n茫o ter nada por que viver. Tamb茅m fala de reencontros. . . e encontros.
Fala do amor a animais, mas tamb茅m da sua perda. Fala de isolamento. Fala tamb茅m de orgulho. . . orgulho ferido tamb茅m.
Fala do que um homem sem objectivos de vida faz no seu dia-a-dia, coisas como, anotar a meteorologia, a chegada de correio, o crescimento de um formigueiro (dento da sua pr贸pria casa) e a chegada de correio num di谩rio. Consertar coisas sem acerto, comer, passear ao longo da ilha isolada onde escolheu recolher-se. Abrigar-se.
Um dia, tudo isso muda com a chegada de uma mulher que com ela traz uma promessa por ele feita 脿 espera de ser cumprida. Essa promessa permite-lhe viajar ao passado e ser saudosista de tempos que j谩 n茫o voltam, tempos passados com familiares. . .
Tudo muda com esta mulher que lhe d谩 a conhecer outra mulher. Estas duas mulheres d茫o-lhe a conhecer uma outra, que nunca foi esquecida e a raz茫o maiorit谩ria para ele se ter refugiado numa ilha de ningu茅m. . .
Uma hist贸ria sobre pessoas. Uma hist贸ria sobre relacionamentos. Uma hist贸ria de amor. . . e N脙O amor-pr贸prio.
Para reflectirmos sobre, o que somos, o que fomos e para onde vamos. . .
脡 um livro que fala ao cora莽茫o sobretudo acerca de solid茫o. Um livro que nos transporta ao futuro, permite-nos ver um pouco das consequ锚ncias quando nos desligamos e n茫o enfrentamos as realidades. Fala do que 茅 envelhecer e n茫o ter nada por que viver. Tamb茅m fala de reencontros. . . e encontros.
Fala do amor a animais, mas tamb茅m da sua perda. Fala de isolamento. Fala tamb茅m de orgulho. . . orgulho ferido tamb茅m.
Fala do que um homem sem objectivos de vida faz no seu dia-a-dia, coisas como, anotar a meteorologia, a chegada de correio, o crescimento de um formigueiro (dento da sua pr贸pria casa) e a chegada de correio num di谩rio. Consertar coisas sem acerto, comer, passear ao longo da ilha isolada onde escolheu recolher-se. Abrigar-se.
Um dia, tudo isso muda com a chegada de uma mulher que com ela traz uma promessa por ele feita 脿 espera de ser cumprida. Essa promessa permite-lhe viajar ao passado e ser saudosista de tempos que j谩 n茫o voltam, tempos passados com familiares. . .
Tudo muda com esta mulher que lhe d谩 a conhecer outra mulher. Estas duas mulheres d茫o-lhe a conhecer uma outra, que nunca foi esquecida e a raz茫o maiorit谩ria para ele se ter refugiado numa ilha de ningu茅m. . .
Uma hist贸ria sobre pessoas. Uma hist贸ria sobre relacionamentos. Uma hist贸ria de amor. . . e N脙O amor-pr贸prio.
Para reflectirmos sobre, o que somos, o que fomos e para onde vamos. . .
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