Dear classics readers,
Join me in August to read The Summer Book, the beautiful, bestselling novel by Tove Jansson, creator of the Moomins.
What is it?
In 1970, when Jansson was in her mid-fifties, her beloved mother, the artist Signe Hammarsten Jansson, known as ‘Ham’, died. Jansson responded by writing Sommarboken (1972), a novel based on her memories of Ham and her mother’s relationship with Jansson’s young niece Sophia.
The Summer Book is the story of an elderly artist and her six-year-old granddaughter and the summer they spend together on a tiny island in the Gulf of Finland. Through conversations, disagreements and adventures, the pair forge a deep bond, as one of them awakens to the wonders of life and the other approaches the end of hers.
Why are we reading it?
It is a wise, funny, poignant, summery book – perfect for reading in August. Here is what others have said about it:
‘Her writing is all magical deception, her sentences simple and loaded; the novel reads like looking through clear water and seeing, suddenly, depth.’
Ali Smith
‘Jansson seems to me to have come closer to the full truth about being alive and conscious of the world than anyone else except, perhaps, Mozart.’
Philip Pullman
‘Jansson distills the essence of the summer – its sunlight and storms – into twenty-two crystalline vignettes.’
Robert Macfarlane
‘A marvellously uplifting read, full of gentle humour and wisdom. It deserves to be read not only for the rare beauty of its writing but for the understanding that life, like summer, is precious.’
Justine Picardie, The Daily Telegraph
‘Few books since Robinson Crusoe have evoked the joys of island living so powerfully as this slim Finnish novel.’
Jonathan Heawood, The Observer
Which edition should I read?
The Summer Book was translated into English by Thomas Teal in 1974. Today it is published by Sort of Books in the UK and NYRB Classics in the US.
How will we read it?
The Summer Book is 150 pages long with 22 chapters.
I suggest we read it over two weeks:
We’ll start reading on Friday 8th August.
On Friday 15th August we’ll discuss the first half of the book, the first 13 chapters: from ‘The Morning Swim’ to ‘The Tent’.
On Friday 22nd August we’ll discuss the second quarter of the book, the remaining 9 chapters: from ‘The Neighbour’ to ‘August’.
What if I don’t want to read it?
If you don’t want to read The Summer Book, you can opt out of our read-along emails and conversation. Just follow this link to your settings and under Notifications slide the toggle next to ‘The Summer Book’. A grey toggle means you will not receive emails relating to this title.
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I've read it several times, always magical with something new to learn. I'm looking forward to reading with everyone next month.
So wonderful. I’m doing a read-along (really a re-read-along) for The Summer Book this August, if anyone here would like to join.