A man and his grandson sit on a bench in a town square. Nearly every day, the old man leads Noah somewhere, and they exchange jokes and enjoy an easy companionship. A love of family and mathematics unites them. Now, Grandpa takes the opportunity to share stories with Noah, often about Grandma, departed from this world long ago. He knows his own world is growing smaller and dimmer by the day. His mind is closing in, and he won’t be here much longer. He will need Noah to help him remember Grandma once that happens, for he can’t bear the thought of losing what little he has left of her.

Hyacinths, that’s one thing. Grandma loved hyacinths. The purple flowers grow around the bench, and their aroma transports him to her side. Memories do that, sparked by words or smells, and yet again he caresses her cheek or hears her voice in his ear. Then he’s back in the square, and it has become smaller once more. His fear swells, but he must help Noah learn to say good-bye, for that is one purpose of these little trips.

"This is a tiny book made large with wisdom. Its pages are packed full of joy and love and bittersweet heartache. The honest beauty and stark reality of Fredrik Backman’s words will have you laughing, crying, breathing deep and sighing."

A more important purpose is to get to know his grandson as best he can. His deep involvement in Noah’s life makes him naturally interested in things like how school is going. The boy complains they spend too much time on essays and too little on numbers. Grandpa understands. It was that way for him once. As the days pass, Noah keeps growing and Grandpa’s mind keeps shrinking. They both realize it, but the child has a way of acknowledging the truth of the situation that almost settles a sad peace over them. So, while Noah looks forward, Grandpa looks back.

There are regrets, sure. Grandpa thinks about his relationship with his son, Ted. He should have made a greater effort. It’s true, Ted didn’t love mathematics, didn’t understand them --- didn’t really even try. Oddly enough, that drove a wedge between father and son. It is, after all, the little things that make a difference and that set us apart. So Grandpa strives to help Noah understand, to be there to see him laugh and to spend the time with him he should have spent with his son. He realizes that time is short now. Yes, there are regrets. But there are also many paths to forgiveness.

This is a tiny book made large with wisdom. Its pages are packed full of joy and love and bittersweet heartache. The honest beauty and stark reality of Fredrik Backman’s words will have you laughing, crying, breathing deep and sighing. AND EVERY MORNING THE WAY HOME GETS LONGER AND LONGER is a book to read over and over again. I read it twice in the space of two days, and I’ll tell you that the second time was nothing like the first. New dimensions appeared, new depths were uncovered, and Grandpa and Noah wrenched myriad fresh emotions straight out of me. I suspect this is how it will be each read-through. My highest recommendation for this one.