This book was very interesting as it told about the life of an early (late 1800's) female surgeon from Rochester, Michigan. She was one of the first physicians to use "twilight sleep" for childbirth. Toward the end, the book did get a bit bogged down with too many details.

What a DELICIOUS read!! From the car crash at the beginning of the book to the family meeting where all the siblings are sitting in neighboring bars having a fortifying drink, this book is delightful. (They can't have those drinks at their family meeting because the sibling who is the object of the meeting is just out of rehab.)

It's been a long time since I've read a book about a dysfunctional family that is hilarious and very deep at the same time. I read this book several months ago, and I still smile when I think of several of the scenes painted in this glorious book.

This is a family you could easily know. Try it. You'll like it.

I have read all of Fredrik Backman's prior books and enjoyed them. Even though I was reluctant, and am not remotely interested in hockey, I decided to give Beartown a chance. I thought it was a bit slow in the beginning, but maybe that was just because groundwork needed to be laid. This was an excellent book about a town that would sell its soul for anything hockey related, and Beartown's best days are long gone.. When a girl is raped by a hockey player, everything hangs in the balance. Will the townspeople be mature enough to seek the truth, or will the lure of money and prestige be too strong for them to deal with? This book was an excellent study in the behavior of crowds of people who are heavily invested in their own particular outcome. I very much enjoyed this book. Fredrik did not disappoint.