Tuesday, January 20, 2026
Swedish Reading Club: When the Cranes Fly South (Tranorna flyger söderut) by Lisa Ridzén
7 PM
Our meeting will be held online using Zoom. For more information, including the link to join the meeting, please email info@sahswm.org.
A profoundly moving debut novel that follows an elderly man’s attempts to mend his relationship with his son before it’s too late: an emotional story of love, friendship, fatherhood, dogs, and atonement that is already an international sensation.
Bo is running out of time. Yet time is one of the few things he’s got left. These days, his quiet existence is broken up only by daily visits from his home care team. Fortunately, he still has his beloved elkhound Sixten to keep him company—though now his son, with whom Bo has had a rocky relationship, insists upon taking the dog away, claiming that Bo has grown too old to properly care for him. The threat of losing Sixten stirs up a whirlwind of emotion, leading Bo to take stock of his life, his relationships, and the imperfect way he’s expressed his love over the years.
“A tender tale about aging, our own and others’, and the quiet brutality of love. About what being a man is, and what being a human is, about fathers and sons and fathers and dogs. It’s really a book for anyone who’s had to say goodbye. The kind of book you give to someone when you’re really trying to say ‘I’ve been thinking about you’ but don’t know how.”
—Fredrik Backman, #1 New York Times bestselling author of A Man Called Ove
You can buy the book online at Schuler’s, or at a 20% discount in the store.
May 28-June 8, 2026
Celebrate 50 Years with a Journey Through Sweden!
In honor of the Swedish American Museum of Chicago’s 50th anniversary in 2026, we invite you to join fellow Swedish Americans for the trip of a lifetime: “The Swedish Odyssey – Sights and Landscapes,” a fully escorted motor coach tour. Jill Pearson Reider from SAHS will be along as one of the co-hosts.
Whether you’re tracing your roots or simply embracing your heritage, this tour offers a unique opportunity to connect with your past. Our genealogy team is excited to help you locate living relatives—and with a little luck, you might even meet them during your Swedish Odyssey!
Download a brochure and registration form (PDF).
If you have any questions, you can contact the Museum at museum@samac.org or 773-728-8111 or contact Jill Pearson Reider at JillReider1@gmail.com.