My Friends

Every novel that Fredrik Backman writes immediately becomes my favorite. There is simply no one better at illustrating the human experience of love and friendship. In his latest, My Friends, he reminds us how deep childhood friendships can be, and how regrets can haunt you years later. A group of teenagers spends a transformational summer together, riding bikes, swimming, surviving trauma, lifting each other up while the world tries to tear them down. One of them puts all of these experiences and emotions into a painting that will later set the art world on fire. Years later, we learn in flashbacks what happened to each of these children. I cried, sad tears and happy tears, and am now inspired to reach out to some of my childhood friends to thank them for helping make me the person I am today.