- Paperback: 176 pages
- Publisher: NYRB Classics
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 159017268X
- ISBN-13: 978-1590172681
- Product Dimensions: 12.8 x 1.3 x 20.3 cm
- Shipping Weight: 222 g
- Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: #454,574 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
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Most helpful customer reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
The Summer Book,
By
Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)
This review is from: The Summer Book (Paperback)
The Summer Book is magic. The relationship between the little girl and her grandmother is exceptional; their world is enchanted and rich.I was sent The Summer Book as a present and found it so engaging I immediately bought more and have sent them to friends. I think this book has great power.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
Scandinavian masterpiece,
By
This review is from: The Summer Book (Paperback)
Tove Jansson's "the summer book" is a masterpiece in it's simplicity and sparse writing. One can almost feel the sand, ocean andvegetation in this superbly crafted volume. An elderly grandmother and her six year old granddaughter spend the summer on a tiny island in the Gulf of Finland (the baltic). Their interactions are refreshing in the desriptions in as much as neither appears to be trying for a particularly overly refined relationship except in it's honesty. Joy, anger and fear abounds in this absolutely lovely book, as well as singularly well described nature snapshots on a daily basis. For the reader looking for a complex storyline and characters this is not the book. The simply crafted and almost seared structure of this book makes it pure pleasure to read. For sure a five star rating in this readers opinion. A companion book by the same author "The winter book" is also worth reading but more fragmented and not quite as pointed in it's structure.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta) Amazon.com:
4.7 out of 5 stars (20 customer reviews) 36 of 36 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
Finn family Jansson,
By lowell duluth "lowell duluth" - Published on Amazon.com
This review is from: The Summer Book (Hardcover)
Based very much upon the late (and yes, great) Tove Jansson`s own family experiences on an island in the Finnish archipelago, this magical, elegiac, very funny, yet - despite its title - autumnal book, subtly draws the reader into the seemingly mundane lives of six-year old Sophia, whose mother has recently died, and `Grandmother` (who could almost be a humanised character from one of Jansson`s immortal Moomin books), as they potter and squabble around their small, idyllic island summer home.Sophia`s `Papa` never speaks (never? Hm...) but is a silent, prosaic presence throughout, while Sophia is (as her name implies) wise, as well as temperamental, and Grandmother dispenses brief, ironic snippets of wisdom and can be just as prickly. They are a double-act; and, like all the best double-acts, rely on each other - at least for the grateful reader - to each `complete` the other. One feels Grandmother learns from her granddaughter as well as vice versa. This is a beautiful, thoughtful, unsentimental, deceptively straightforward meander through the summer months with three generations of a grieving family each determined to hang on to their individuality. There are also the occasional - and rarely welcome - visitors. If I make The Summer Book sound more than simply a light read, it is because even Tove Jansson`s children`s books (of which this can hardly be said to be one) have a tough melancholy strain to them, and a `message` of independence and personal integrity as the sanest way to be. In its modest, breezy way, this is a great little book. One to treasure. 48 of 51 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
A perfect book,
By Tracy Rowan "dargelos" - Published on Amazon.com
This review is from: Summer Book (Paperback)
The connection between grandmother and granddaughter is a marrow-deep one in "Summer Book." Sophia and her grandmother spend their days exploring, talking about life, nature, everything but their feelings about Sophia's mother's death and their love for one another. And yet, underneath the offhand, and often strange conversations that take place between them, you feel their affection and the concern they feel for one another."Summer Book" is a strange and beautiful story. There's no false emotions here, no manipulation for the sake of effect. Just an account of a very real relationship between a child and her grandmother, during the last weeks of the grandmother's life. Very highly recommended. 18 of 18 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
Charming, beautiful and philosophical,
By T. Bently "tbently" - Published on Amazon.com
This review is from: The Summer Book (Hardcover)
I rejoice that this short work has come into print again, though it's rather sad that it took the author's recent death to prompt the publishers into action. I'd read an extract in a guide to the top 100 books of the twentieth century and was surprised and disappointed not to be able to get my hands on the full edition.Jansson has an inate understanding of the wisdom and skewed world-view of children, and manages to capture the fragile - and ephemeral - friendship which can exist between the very old and the very young. There is a freshness about her style which never teeters into whimsy. A rare achievement indeed. |
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