The Memoirs of Stockholm Sven

By: Nathaniel Ian Miller

Narrated by: Olafur Darri Olafsson

The “captivating’’ and “powerful’’ story (Publishers Weekly, starred review) of one man who 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 a novel that is both “ceaselessly brilliant’’ (Adam Johnson, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of The Orphan Master’s Son) and “pure delight’’ (Christina Baker Kline, number one best-selling author of Orphan Train)

Number one Indie Next pick

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.

©2021 Nathaniel Ian Miller (P)2021 Little, Brown & Company

Critic 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

Couldn’t put it down

Expecting a survival story, I was instead transported into the tale of a rich life so very different from my own. Well written and beautifully narrated, I was captivated and entertained at a delicious, leisurely pace. Highly recommended.

Just wonderful!

Nothing I didn’t like about this book, which is beautifully written and charmingly narrated. Though the environment is harsh and the times are malignant, the individuals who inhabit the book are so unique, earnest, and sympathetic that it is a joy to hear their stories.

Excellent book

When I started this book, I was doubtful that it would hold my attention. But as I continued to listen, I was completely drawn in to the mind of this man and his life in the Arctic. It is fascinating.

slow but interesting story

The first half of this novel was very slow but I liked the originality of the time and place (early 20th century, very Northern Europe). Sven was an intriguing character, but he was hard to really know or care too much about. One-eyed and disfigured from an accident, he was a curious character who attempted to live an isolated life in the arctic. For some reason, I did not quit, and by the second half, this novel picked up a lot and grew much more interesting. By the end, I found myself thinking of this story even when I was not listening. More characters came into the story, ones I cared about. In short, this novel required work, but for me, the payoff was there. The narrator was great!

A thought provoking story

a wonderful, surprising saga of a man who does not quite fit into “polite” society. A story of dreams, self doubt, friendship, loss and love.

Each chapter of Sven’s life, and how he touches the life’s of others, is a remarkable journey .

A remarkable journey. The narration is wonderful and is performed perfectly.

Do not pass up this hidden gem ,

Original and fascinating

Enjoyed learning about life in Svalbard but especially enjoyed the wonderful characters in this novel.

I loved this book.

The story and narrator captured my attention from beginning to end. Miller is an excellent, evocative writer, and the narrator delivered that writing perfectly. I found myself going back over passages so I could write down what I heard. Highly recommended.

Lovely book

Wow I didn’t think I’d like this as much as I did. The prose flows like a beautiful river. The story is amazingly real and the narrator eloquent. I simply loved it!

Singular and significant

If there was ever inspiration for a person to write their own memoir, this is it. Most of us have never thrown ourselves into, or in this case, remove ourselves from our existence and society as dear Sven. This work examines so many aspects of such an experience that the reader cannot help but be enthralled. The human experience is fascinating. I encourage you to read and absorb and ultimately enjoy Sven’s life. Then go write about yourself!

Unique story set in early 1900s

Ever since then be seen a photo of Spitsbergen, I’ve always been intrigued to know more. While a work of fiction, this was an enjoyable read/listen about people who wish to love far removed.