Genre Fiction
![Nathaniel Ian Miller - [object Object] author](https://res.cloudinary.com/readsomnia/image/upload/authors/a_a_nathaniel_ian_miller.jpg)
The Memoirs of Stockholm Sven
In this "briskly entertaining" (New York Times Book Review), "transporting and wholly original" (People Magazine) novel, one man banishes himself to a solitary life in the Arctic Circle, and is saved by good friends, a loyal dog, and a surprise visit that changes everything.
In 1916, Sven Ormson leaves a restless life in Stockholm to seek adventure in Svalbard, an Arctic archipelago where darkness reigns four months of the year and he might witness the splendor of the Northern Lights one night and be attacked by a polar bear the next. But his time as a miner ends when an avalanche nearly kills him, leaving him disfigured, and Sven flees even further, to an uninhabited fjord. There, with the company of a loyal dog, he builds a hut and lives alone, testing himself against the elements.
The teachings of a Finnish fur trapper, along with encouraging letters from his family and a Scottish geologist who befriended him in the mining camp, get him through his first winter. Years into his routine isolation, the arrival of an unlikely visitor salves his loneliness, sparking a chain of surprising events that will bring Sven into a family of fellow castoffs and determine the course of the rest of his life.
Written with wry humor and in prose as breathtaking as the stark landscape it evokes, The Memoirs of Stockholm Sven is a testament to the strength of our human bonds, reminding us that even in the most inhospitable conditions on the planet, we are not beyond the reach of love.
#1 Indie Next Pick
Finalist for the Vermont Book Award
Longlisted for the Center for Fiction First Novel Prize
In 1916, Sven Ormson leaves a restless life in Stockholm to seek adventure in Svalbard, an Arctic archipelago where darkness reigns four months of the year and he might witness the splendor of the Northern Lights one night and be attacked by a polar bear the next. But his time as a miner ends when an avalanche nearly kills him, leaving him disfigured, and Sven flees even further, to an uninhabited fjord. There, with the company of a loyal dog, he builds a hut and lives alone, testing himself against the elements.
The teachings of a Finnish fur trapper, along with encouraging letters from his family and a Scottish geologist who befriended him in the mining camp, get him through his first winter. Years into his routine isolation, the arrival of an unlikely visitor salves his loneliness, sparking a chain of surprising events that will bring Sven into a family of fellow castoffs and determine the course of the rest of his life.
Written with wry humor and in prose as breathtaking as the stark landscape it evokes, The Memoirs of Stockholm Sven is a testament to the strength of our human bonds, reminding us that even in the most inhospitable conditions on the planet, we are not beyond the reach of love.
#1 Indie Next Pick
Finalist for the Vermont Book Award
Longlisted for the Center for Fiction First Novel Prize
Editorial Reviews
"Briskly entertaining . . . I was reminded more than once of Annie Proulx's The Shipping News . . . combines a distinctive northerly setting with a cast of likable eccentrics . . . Rather than any creed or belief system, it is Sven's various friendships, intense but understated, that sustain him and give his life an order and purpose."―Ian McGuire, New York Times Book Review
"Transporting and wholly original . . . this modern-day Call of the Wild is funny, moving, and ceaselessly compelling."―People (Book of the Week)
"Ceaselessly brilliant as an arctic sun, The Memoirs of Stockholm Sven illuminates the very nature of human yearning and perseverance. In attempting to inhabit the uninhabitable, one man shows us that no place is inhospitable to the human heart, and in delivering this searing portrait, Nathaniel Ian Miller ascends to the firmament of today's most exciting young novelists."―Adam Johnson, Pulitzer Prize–winning author of The Orphan Master's Son
"An eloquent, finely chiseled novel."―O, The Oprah Magazine
"Surprisingly humorous, this heartwarming story reminds us that love can reach the iciest depths of our hearts, even in the most inhospitable locations."―Kirby Beaton, Buzzfeed
"A book one savors for its prose, its characters, and its insights… The Memoirs of Stockholm Sven explores many varieties of aloneness-and togetherness-with enormous insight, empathy, and humor… [Miller is] a skilled writer."―Margot Harrison, Seven Days Vermont
"A striking first novel by the American writer Nathaniel Ian Miller… an unusual, surprisingly witty tale, with a memorable central character."―The Times (UK)
"Captivating . . . Miller offers a marvelously detailed look at a way of life and a profession practiced in an extreme environment, and though purportedly based on a historical figure, the character's colorfully rendered experiences are the stuff of powerful dramatic fiction."―Publishers Weekly (starred review)
"Readers will love the beauty and depth of his story . . . A Swedish trapper relates his unique life with insights about friendship, hardship, and solitude."―<...
"Transporting and wholly original . . . this modern-day Call of the Wild is funny, moving, and ceaselessly compelling."―People (Book of the Week)
"Ceaselessly brilliant as an arctic sun, The Memoirs of Stockholm Sven illuminates the very nature of human yearning and perseverance. In attempting to inhabit the uninhabitable, one man shows us that no place is inhospitable to the human heart, and in delivering this searing portrait, Nathaniel Ian Miller ascends to the firmament of today's most exciting young novelists."―Adam Johnson, Pulitzer Prize–winning author of The Orphan Master's Son
"An eloquent, finely chiseled novel."―O, The Oprah Magazine
"Surprisingly humorous, this heartwarming story reminds us that love can reach the iciest depths of our hearts, even in the most inhospitable locations."―Kirby Beaton, Buzzfeed
"A book one savors for its prose, its characters, and its insights… The Memoirs of Stockholm Sven explores many varieties of aloneness-and togetherness-with enormous insight, empathy, and humor… [Miller is] a skilled writer."―Margot Harrison, Seven Days Vermont
"A striking first novel by the American writer Nathaniel Ian Miller… an unusual, surprisingly witty tale, with a memorable central character."―The Times (UK)
"Captivating . . . Miller offers a marvelously detailed look at a way of life and a profession practiced in an extreme environment, and though purportedly based on a historical figure, the character's colorfully rendered experiences are the stuff of powerful dramatic fiction."―Publishers Weekly (starred review)
"Readers will love the beauty and depth of his story . . . A Swedish trapper relates his unique life with insights about friendship, hardship, and solitude."―<...
Readers Top Reviews
Davidcarolkstrong co
I really enjoyed this book. The characters are well developed and the writing put me right there with them. I have read several non-fiction books about Arctic and Antarctic exploration, and this book captures the essence of those non-fiction tales. This is a worthwhile read.
Rick Newcombeluckyto
Nathaniel Ian Miller is a gifted writer who tells a story about memorable characters in such a compelling way that I couldn't put the book down. His insights into life and the human condition are brilliant and timeless. I alternated between reading the ebook and listening to the audiobook, which was narrated wonderfully by the Icelandic actor Darri Olafsson. Once in a while a book is so brilliantly written that I want to go back to reread passages, just to savor the insights and method of construction. This is one of those books. The Memoirs of Stockholm Sven is a work of art.
Jeanine Jackson
Prior to my visit to Svalbard I read Stockholm Sven interspersed with the Bradt Guide. Having grown up in Wyoming and spent 40 years overseas, I have had many adventures but they pale in comparison to Sven’s life!
Karin B
I enjoyed this novel so much. It’s very well-written and I grew to love each carefully crafted character as the story emerged. I primarily listened to the audiobook and the narration was perfect.
