Italian Shoes: Book summary and reviews of Italian Shoes by Henning Mankell

Italian Shoes Summary

Living on a tiny island entirely surrounded by ice during the long winter months, Fredrik Welin is so lost to the world that he cuts a hole in the ice every morning and lowers himself into the freezing water to remind himself that he is alive. Haunted by memories of the terrible mistake that drove him to this island and away from a successful career as a surgeon, he lives in a stasis so complete an anthill grows undisturbed in his living room.

When an unexpected visitor alters his life completely, thus begins an eccentric, elegiac journey--one that shows Mankell at the very height of his powers as a novelist.

A deeply human tale of loss and redemption, Italian Shoes is a testament to the unpredictability of life, which breeds hope even in the face of tragedy.

Italian Shoes Reviews

"Starred Review. Mankell displays his considerable gifts for characterization as he succeeds in making his emotionally limited lead character sympathetic." - Publishers Weekly

"Mankell ... provides a moving test of Welin's belief that 'people are close to each other so that they can be parted.'" - Kirkus Reviews

"Mankell ... has an ability to create an intimate atmosphere that places the reader directly into the world of his characters, which is nothing short of brilliant." - Library Journal

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Henning Mankell Author Biography

Henning Mankell is the acclaimed author of the Kurt Wallander mysteries. The books have been published in thirty-three countries and consistently top the bestseller lists in Europe, receiving major literary prizes (including the UK's Golden Dagger Award in 2000) and generating numerous international film and television adaptations. Born in a village in northern Sweden in 1948, Mankell divides his time between Sweden and Maputo, Mozambique.

Kurt Wallander Series (dates are English-language publication dates):

1. Faceless Killers (1997)


2. The Dogs of Riga, (2001)


3. White Lioness (1998)


4. The Man Who Smiled, (2005)


5. Sidetracked (1999)


6. The Fifth Woman (2000)


7. One Step Behind...

   ... Full Biography
   Link to Henning Mankell's Website

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