Italian Shoes

By: Henning Mankell

Narrated by: Henry Strozier

Length: 9 hrs and 58 mins

Publisher's summary

With more than 30 million copies of his works published, in 37 languages, award-winning author Henning Mankell may be Sweden's most accomplished novelist. Here he crafts the icy, atmospheric tale of Fredrik Welin, a disgraced surgeon living in exile on a small island. When Fredrik receives a surprise visit from a lover he abandoned decades earlier, he begins the difficult road to redemption.

©2006 Henning Mankell (P)2009 Recorded Books, LLC

Critic reviews

"Mankell continues to write literary fiction in addition to his popular crime series starring Swedish policeman Kurt Wallander. This time he tells the story of a lonely old man living alone on an isolated island. Why is former surgeon Fredrik Welin hiding on his grandparents' island? Can anything break him loose from his self-imposed exile? These two questions guide this short, beautiful, and ultimately life-affirming novel, as first one woman and then another enter Fredrik's island prison." ( Booklist)

Makes you think

Sometimes I felt the book dragged but a lot of the time it was moving, exasperating and provocative. I’m glad to have read it; I believe it will stay with me

Beautiful

I love his writing, the joy, tragedy, and especially character development. Very real, endearing and I want to visit the island and lay flowers on the dogs grave.

Wonderful

So insightful into the Nordic personality -- more said unspoken than spoken. A great book full of tragedy, loss, redemption, and love. Mankell's versatility shines here and it made me want to go live on an island in the Swedish archipelago! Good narration, too.

Wonderful story with perfect choice of narrator

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

This is the fifth book I've experienced by Henning Mankell, the first audiobook. The story is unique and subtle and poignant, strange as only real life can be. Henry Strozier has a voice that perfectly suits the main character. The story begins slowly and flatly to express the emptiness and desolation of this man's life, yet moves forward with the events that pull him back into the land of the living. I both laughed and cried while listening to Italian Shoes. I will listen to this again one day, with great pleasure.

What did you like best about this story?

The subtlety of this unique first-person story.

Which character – as performed by Henry Strozier – was your favorite?

The main character, this damaged, vulnerable and greatly flawed man.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

The party for the dying Harriett. Beautiful.

A great novel. Better than a lot of the detective ones and they are good.

As I said, better than many of his very good detective stories. An excellent novel. Enjoy.

A man's life

Henning Mankell. Excellent writer of the human condition.
The written word is flowing. No big excitement, no juicy tidbits. The man is older and not really been very nice through his life.
The reader is excellent, He is the man! Most of the story consists of the thoughts and memories and feelings portrayed through certain experiences. Mankell's books are mostly dusk. Not dark but not joyful. His characters have flaws. There are people out there, living this life. Drawn in, it is hard to stop reading, but there is nothing exciting, just a normal life!

Portrait of reconciliation in isolation

The author digs into an emotionally unavailable man with a real assault from the women in his life. There are many tender moments and violent ones as well ,where the characters reach out for understanding in the face of the irrational - both within themselves and in those around them.
A very sad beautiful story.

I missed Wallender

But still a good story with an eccentric main character. Loved the background setting on a lonely island on a lonely, frozen coast. I was sad to reach the end.

Italian shoes: a study in introspection

A quietly engrossing character development of a man we might know. Mankell describes the hurts of his characters, bound by problems, insecurities. He opens a window into our minds, and exposes our means of coping with life. The narrator does a fine job. A great read. My first taste of Henning Mankell, and I'll look for more.

Waiting for the Other Italian Shoe to Drop

Where does Italian Shoes rank among all the audiobooks you???ve listened to so far?

This story is a complete departure from the hugely popular Kurt Wallander series and Mankell's many other excellent stories. The Italian Shoes is pensive, much more introspective and reflective. It wanders slowly across the lifespan of an intelligent but ego-centric physician with minimal people skills and zero ability to form intimate, meaningful relationships. Even his "good deeds" were performed with a cold, clinically detached, sterile touch. The pace is slow and the writing does not convey the excitement and sense of urgency one expects, based on Henning Mankell's other works. I kept waiting in vain for the other shoe to drop.

Would you recommend Italian Shoes to your friends? Why or why not?

I'm not comfortable recommending it because it is so slow and meandering. Henning Mankell is a wonderful writer. He infuses his characters with idiosyncrasies and human frailties that breathe life into them. The lives in Italian Shoes were simply not ones I felt compelled to know more about. I listened to every word of this book because I am a loyal fan and kept hoping for the "payoff" that didn't arrive.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?

The never-ending story.