Things My Son Needs to Know About The World

Things My Son Needs To Know About The World is a tender and funny series of letters from a new father to his son about one of lifes most daunting experiences: parenthood

From the 18 million copy internationally bestselling author of A Man Called Ove, Anxious People and My Friends, the Sunday Times Bestseller and Goodreads Choice Awards Fiction 2025 winner!

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You can be whatever you want to be, but thats nowhere near as important as knowing that you can be exactly who you are

In between the sleep-obsessed lows and oxytocin-fuelled highs, Backman takes a step back to share his own experience of fatherhood and how he navigates such unchartered territory.

Part memoir, part manual, part love letter to his son, this book relays the big and the small lessons in life.

As he watches his son take his first steps into the world, he teaches him how to navigate both love - and IKEA - and tries to explain why, sometimes, his dad might hold his hand just a little bit too tightly.

This is an irresistible and insightful collection from one of the worlds most beautiful storytellers - the bestselling author of A Man Called Ove and Beartown.
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Praise for Fredrick Backman:

A mature, compassionate novelSunday Times

Will, funny, and almost unbearably movingDaily Mail

Youll love this engrossing novelPeople

Backman is a masterful writerKirkus Review