When The Cranes Fly South is a rich exploration of the last few months of an old man’s life which left me blubbering. Bo is mostly bedridden these days, his wife is in a home with dementia, and his son Hans is trying to do his best by both of them. But what Hans thinks is good for Bo doesn’t often reflect Bo’s own wants, especially about his elkhound, Sixten.
Initially, I found this book somewhat depressing with its depiction of Bo’s sense of losing all responsibility for himself and being in the hands of his son and the carers who visit four times a day. The switch of roles from adult to ‘child’
Many people in the FaceBook book club I belong to were upset about the dog, which his son wants to take from Bo because he can’t care for it properly. I was too, at first, but then I realised the dog per se isn’t the issue – to be blunt, they could have simply paid someone to come and walk it twice a day and make sure it was fed, as there seemed to be no shortage of money. The point here, to me, was about putting others’ needs above your own, knowing when to let go, and symbolised the journey Bo makes.
Find When the Cranes Fly South here.
The author gently carries you along with Bo as he makes his way to acceptance, and then, finally, relief. Along the way, he reflects on his life, his marriage, his friendships and his relationships with his father and his own son. This could have been a sentimental, mawkish book (like IMO Theo of Golden and The Correspondent) but you can’t be sentimental over details like changing an adult’s nappies and showering him, and Bo is far from an amiable, lovable character. I read it in two days and sobbed at the end. Thought provoking and very ‘human’.
My October 2026 Book of the Month.
More reviews here and my monthly round up of what I’ve read here. And when you’re looking for your next read, have an explore of the kind of books I write here.