Indies Introduce

Fiction

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  When the Cranes Fly South, Lisa Ridzén
  Vintage, 9798217006731, August 5, 2025 (Fiction)
  

  “Such a moving look at one man’s life as he reaches the end. It is about reconciliation, power to maintain control over one’s life, regrets, how we see ourselves in the end and how others see us. So touching, so emotional in subtle and profound ways.”

  —Kim Brock, Joseph-Beth Booksellers, Cincinnati, OH
  
  

  “Quiet, tender and moving, When the Cranes Fly South is a meditation on living and dying that I will never forget. Bo is at the end of his life. His wife is in memory care, and his adult son takes care of him along with a rotation of carers. As his body slowly fails him, he has time to reminisce about growing up with an abusive father, marrying the love of his life, and raising a son who he desperately loves, but has a fraught relationship with. When Bo is confronted with the possibility of his beloved dog, Sixten, being taken away, he stubbornly refuses, which brings age old memories and conflicts to the surface. Here's what you need to do: relax, find a comfortable reading spot with a blanket and hot drink, and settle in to read this incredible debut. Make sure to have tissues handy. When the Cranes Fly South is now one of my top three books of all time.” 

  —Jessica Nock, Main Street Books, Davidson, NC
  

   

  “When the Cranes Fly South is a profound exploration of aging, masculinity, and human connection. Readers who are able to finish this novel with dry eyes are made of sterner stuff than I — much like Bo, I found myself dissolving into tears with every new memory and realization that our hero makes at the end of his devastatingly normal life.”

  —Austin Carter, Pocket Books Shop, Lancaster, PA

   

  “One of the best novels, much less debut novels, that I’ve ever read. You’ll enjoy the best cry of your life!”

  —Randy Schiller, Left Bank Books, St. Louis, MO