A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman

   A neighbor recommended this book, saying it was a word-of-mouth best seller in Europe.  It took a while for me to get the book and then a couple of chapters to get into it, but it did turn out to be a good read.
   Ove is an incredibly rigid and, at least in the beginning, a fairly unlike-able Swedish man who just wants everyone to follow the rules and leave him alone. It turns out he may be even more tired of living with his fellow man, but that's for later in the book.
   While on patrol in his neighborhood he meets an interesting pregnant emigre from Iran, her inept but friendly husband and their charming daughters.  It is that relationship that draws Ove kicking and screaming into positively reacting to an ever-widening circle of friends and neighbors.  There's also a good deal of humor sprinkled with some pathos that keeps the story moving right along.
   This is a good read, but my Ove-like reaction to treacle was kicked into high gear by the epilogue where every single person at the end had the best possible out come, thanks to Ove.  Really?  Can't someone have broken a leg or something?  Still, it's a nice pallet cleanser from some recent heavier fare and worth greeting Spring with some optimism.