AWSoP : a cover on a cover

Jonas Söderström, for BtP

Håkan Nesser has been one of the top writers of crime novels in Sweden for several years. His stories have won him several prizes, and have been translated into more than a dozen languages. And at least three of his books have been made into very succesful TV series.

His latest novel, och Piccadilly Cirkus ligger inte i Kumla ("and Piccadilly Circus is not in Kumla" - a small Swedish town) is part crime novel, part story about growing up in the sixties. The time is May 1967 ... and on the cover we see three old records covers: one Rolling Stones cover, one Animals - but do you recognize the third?

Yes - of course - A Whiter Shade of Pale single cover, complete with the picture of the original Procol Harum cat! [but ... see 'Ain't Gonna Ride that Whiskery Train]

AWSoP was mentioned also in the review of this book in Sweden's biggest daily newspaper, Dagens Nyheter, on 15 March 2002.

The reviewer compares this novel to last year's literary sensation in Sweden: Mikeal Niemi's Populärmusik från Vittula (Popular music from Vittula), winner of the August Prize, the most prestigious literary award in Sweden - and a story about growing up in the sixties, and in which AWSoP also occurs!

It's all in Swedish of course, have a look at the review if you want. You'll see A whiter shade of pale and some other artists and songs mentioned. (The link will bypass the website's frameset and send you directly to the article.)

And here is a small quotation from page 29:
Rough translation: "My dictionary was thick as sin and printed in 1924; I hoped that at least half of the words should be inaccesible to Rubenstråhle, and that I in this way might cause her a few more grey hairs, and general misery. We skipped the light fandango, as people soon should start to say all over the world."

 

Thanks, Jonas Söderström