Books and beyond

Italian Shoes by Henning Mankell

Fredrik Welin, a surgeon whose career ended due to a tragic mistake, has isolated himself on an island north of Sweden. He thinks he is set for the remainder of his life, adhering only to the self-imposed ritual of plunging himself in the nearby icy waters to remind himself he’s alive. His world is blown apart by the unannounced arrival of an ex-love who wants to bring Fredrik back into the living by sharing a secret from their past. Three other women arrive to confront him about the past and before he knows it, he has worked his way back into life, with all of its complications, warmth, and frustrating intimacies. Don’t miss this delightful book, which Library Journal calls, “nothing short of brilliant.”