Life lessons from Fredrik Backman
Non-fiction has been my go-to genre since I started reading. Learning more about the real world has been the prime reason I picked up books. I have always belittled reading fiction, which I considered as an activity for pleasure like watching TV shows or scrolling through the Instagram feed. Until an unknown Swedish author came into my life and resonated with me more than any non-fiction book could. He taught me that, To understand more about the world, you need to understand more about yourself first. His name is Fredrik Backman. Some interesting quotes from his works and my takeaways from that.
The unreserved celebration of mediocrity
My dad can fix pipes, solder old radios, fix a starter-plug in a bike, cook a meager meal, drill some holes. While I cannot do even one of the above things properly.
Any product or service in the world can be bought for the right price these days and so we all have lost the curiosity to understand the workings of the gadgets we own since servicing is just a phone call away. Even the manufacturers are making sure that their products are short-lived so that we can ‘upgrade’ to the next product line on the market.
If you could just go and buy everything, what was the value of it? What was the value of a man?
In Backman’s world, there’s always a couple of characters who are hell-bent on fixing their own problems. Both internal and external. He always has someone ranting about this society’s callous attitude to ignore these life-saver skills which were considered vital for survival a couple of decades ago.
When a child is born, its parents dream of it being as unique as possible, until it gets ill, when suddenly all they want is for everything to be normal
That’s the simplest explanation to the puzzles of parenting. Even though I have not been a parent yet, I could relate to my parent’s thought process better after I read this line. Parents are constantly worried about their kids and they often point to themselves, when some mishaps happen to their kids, even if the events were completely out of their control. No non-fiction book in the world would have made me understood this important truth. He also says some nice things about parenting like this one.
Up to a certain age, a child loves you unconditionally and hopelessly for one single reason: you’re theirs
Sometimes life doesn’t let you choose your battles. Just the company you keep
Friendship has been a common theme of hope in his novels. From high school kids awaiting their exciting adult lives to old-timers hoping for a peaceful end, From random strangers to acquaintances who have spent an eternity together. He explores the nuances in these relationships vividly. A thoughtful commentary on two old friends,
Afterwards it was only memories for Ove, and a lack of them for Rune.
You have to work hardest just before the final whistle
Any sports fanatic can relate to this quote instantly. All the infamous events in the history of sports unfold in the final moments of the game. This vital lesson is even applicable to our struggles in our lives. The fight gets harder in the last round of the battle and whoever with the grit wins. I would not say ‘win’, may stay alive to fight the next battle. Backman’s Beartown beautifully captures this essence of sports.
The only thing the sport gives us are moments. But what the hell is life, Peter, apart from moments?
We are asleep until we fall in love
Backman is the master of describing romance in the most realistic yet poetic way. I cannot explain this better than him, so I will just add some of my favorite quotes from him on the subject.
You can always tell by the way people who love each other argue: the longer they’ve been together, the fewer words they need to start a fight.
It was as if he didn’t want other people to talk to him, he was afraid that their chattering voices would drown out the memory of her voice.
What sort of love is it if you hand someone over when it gets difficult?
Am I still married because I’m in love, or just because I can’t be bothered to let anyone else get to know me this well again?
Final thoughts
It’s always easier to lecture other people about morality when you’ve never had to answer for anything yourself
I’m not trying to lecture anyone here! No matter what situation you’re going through, there is always something to take away from Backman’s novels. These are just a mere teaser into his world, he explores deeper topics like death, abuse, communities, capitalism in its truest sense without getting wordy. I hope Backman can provoke strong arguments within you and help you find yourself amidst the chaos called Life.
