Att komma hem ska vara en schlager

Review: "Att komma hem ska vara en schlager" by Per Hagman

Per Hagman is probably best known for his debut book Cigarett from 1991 where he managed to achieve some sort of cult status among many people. This book tells the tale of a young man trying to find his place in a world full of hangovers, decadence and broken dreams.

We follow the presumably autobiographical main character as he illegaly raises a falcon in Cairo, looks back on a juvenile trip to Monaco and tries to find love in all the wrong places. I'm not sure if the author wants to be seen as an international playboy or a cry baby, but he sure needs to be in the spotlight. Most of all he seems like an urban nomad, never content with staying in one place for long, a feeling many can relate to.

In some ways the narrator reminds me of the Swedish comic Rocky, where the main character is an underdog who always manages to mess up his life and insists on telling others about it. Both characters also tend to base story arcs on personal experiences, however incredible they may be. Most of the stories feel exaggerated and juvenile, but I'm constantly being drawn back to the pages for some reason. Definitely not a book for everybody but I enjoyed it. Unfortunately it doesn't seem to be available in English translation at this time.

• Filed under category Travel books.
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