Book Title: And Every Morning the Way Home Gets Longer and Longer and The Deal of a Lifetime.
Author: Fredrik Backman
Publisher: Penguin India
Number of Pages: 176
ISBN: 1405995742
Date Published: Jun. 4, 2026
Book Review
Fredrik Backman’s flip-book edition brings together two very short novels: “And Every Morning the Way Home Gets Longer and Longer” and The Deal of a Lifetime. The first follows a grandfather losing his memory and trying to say goodbye to his son and grandson; the second follows a father on Christmas Eve, forced to judge what his life has been worth. Together, they form a compact meditation on family, regret, and the things people only understand when time is running out.
Backman’s writing style is simple, warm, and quietly devastating. He uses plain language, short scenes, and a little humour to make heavy subjects feel human rather than gloomy. In the first story, a shrinking square and a lengthening road turn dementia into a haunting image; in the second, a fable-like encounter gives a distant father a chance to understand the son he has failed.
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The themes overlap beautifully: memory, fatherhood, sacrifice, mortality, and the fear of not having loved well enough. Both stories suggest that a life’s value lies less in success than in care, presence, and the small acts that stay with others. Backman’s gift is making readers feel this without preaching.
The book’s design adds to its appeal. Each novella is around 176 pages, making the flip book small enough to finish in an evening, while the delicate illustrations give both stories a gentle, storybook quality. The criticism is that the format may feel slight for the price, and the second tale’s symbolism can feel more constructed than heartfelt. Still, it is a lovely, bittersweet keepsake for Backman fans.
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About the Author
Fredrik Backman is a No. 1 New York Times bestselling author who rose to international prominence with his debut novel, A Man Called Ove, published in 2012. The book became a global sensation and was later adapted into a major motion picture starring Tom Hanks. Its Swedish film adaptation also received international recognition, earning two Academy Award nominations.
Known for blending humour, warmth and emotional depth, Backman writes about ordinary people navigating life’s unexpected challenges, discovering courage and forming meaningful connections. His stories find extraordinary significance in everyday experiences, capturing the complexities of human relationships with compassion and wit.
His body of work includes seven acclaimed novels, two novellas exploring life and love, and a nonfiction book on parenthood. With more than 18 million copies sold across 46 languages, his books have reached readers worldwide. Backman lives in Stockholm, Sweden, with his wife and their two children.
