"The Summer Book" by Tove Jansson (Finland, 1972)

Welcome in the official start of Summer with me, reading one of the greatest books ever written (according to my objectively subjective personal canon).
#tovejansson #thesummerbook #readingtheworld #literature #booktube #booktuber

[@elizabethjonczyk6818]

Lovely to hear your eloquent thoughts on a book you love. As always, you make me want to read it!

[@mikereadstheworld]

@@elizabethjonczyk6818 Thank you! Nice to hear from you in the comments again, it's been awhile! Hope all is well!

[@elizabethjonczyk6818]

@@mikereadstheworld Well, but busy! I thought you might be interested in a brief clip on the "Moomin Official" KZbin channel in which Sophia Jansson, Tove's niece, discusses the 50th anniversary of the book (this is from 2 years ago, so maybe you've already seen it). There is an edition with an afterword by her, which might be interesting as she is the inspiration for the Sophia in the book. I haven't read The Summer Book yet, sadly--it cries to me from the shelf! Maybe this will be the summer.

[@mikereadstheworld]

@@elizabethjonczyk6818 Thanks for sharing, I didn't know about the clip or the real life inspiration.

[@mikrokupu]

Great review! They have just released an English-speaking movie based on this wonderful book, Glenn Close plays the grandmother. Greetings from the shores of the Gulf of Finland (where the book's island is located in real life, too)

[@mikereadstheworld]

@@mikrokupu Wow, I had no idea. I usually avoid watching films of books I like for fear of ruining my own image of them. Perhaps someday I'll overcome this and watch it.

[@nikkivenable73]

I just finished this wonderful book! 5 stars! Just absolutely stunning in every sense of the word. I'm excited to listen to what you have to say bc I'm not ready to let this one go. 😢 Edit: i wish you could talk more about Eriksson and why he was your favorite. I guess I need to revisit that chapter bc I missed something there. He did seem wonderful but to have him be perhaps your favorite character in all of literature? This is the highest praise so I'm going back right now to re-read Midsummer. Btw, this review was exceptional! I'll return to it again and again. It was a love letter, really. Thank you!

[@mikereadstheworld]

@@nikkivenable73 Thank you! I say some pretty ridiculous things sometimes. I do really like Eriksson because he is vague and represents an ideal that is difficult to define or put into words. I'll try though. His defining characteristic is how others feel around him and about him, but his energy and spontaneity is both unassuming and effortless. I have known only a few people like that and they command a kind of unique power and beauty. He also seems a little otherworldy. I can't think of any other literary character that captures that, and perhaps the fact there is so little of him in the book lets my imagination project this on to him. That's my best attempt for now.

[@nikkivenable73]

@@mikereadstheworld wow, thank you! Yes, I can see all of that especially after my re-read of that vignette. You explain yourself so well.

[@mikereadstheworld]

@@nikkivenable73 Thank you for the thoughtful comment as well!