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Anxious People: A Novel Hardcover – September 8, 2020

by Fredrik Backman (Author)

4.4 72,359 ratings

Editors' pick Best Literature & Fiction

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Instant #1 New York Times Bestseller

A People Book of the Week, Book of the Month Club selection, and Best of Fall in Good Housekeeping, PopSugar, The Washington Post, New York Post, Shondaland, CNN, and more!

“[A] quirky, big-hearted novel…Wry, wise, and often laugh-out-loud funny, it’s a wholly original story that delivers pure pleasure.” —People

From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of A Man Called Ove comes a charming, poignant novel about a crime that never took place, a would-be bank robber who disappears into thin air, and eight extremely anxious strangers who find they have more in common than they ever imagined.

Looking at real estate isn’t usually a life-or-death situation, but an apartment open house becomes just that when a failed bank robber bursts in and takes a group of strangers hostage. The captives include a recently retired couple who relentlessly hunt down fixer-uppers to avoid the painful truth that they can’t fix their own marriage. There’s a wealthy bank director who has been too busy to care about anyone else and a young couple who are about to have their first child but can’t seem to agree on anything, from where they want to live to how they met in the first place. Add to the mix an eighty-seven-year-old woman who has lived long enough not to be afraid of someone waving a gun in her face, a flustered but still-ready-to-make-a-deal real estate agent, and a mystery man who has locked himself in the apartment’s only bathroom, and you’ve got the worst group of hostages in the world.

Each of them carries a lifetime of grievances, hurts, secrets, and passions that are ready to boil over. None of them is entirely who they appear to be. And all of them—the bank robber included—desperately crave some sort of rescue. As the authorities and the media surround the premises these reluctant allies will reveal surprising truths about themselves and set in motion a chain of events so unexpected that even they can hardly explain what happens next.

Rich with Fredrik Backman’s “pitch-perfect dialogue and an unparalleled understanding of human nature” (Shelf Awareness), Anxious People is an ingeniously constructed story about the enduring power of friendship, forgiveness, and hope—the things that save us, even in the most anxious times.

Print length

352 pages
Language

English
Publisher

Atria Books
Publication date

September 8, 2020
Dimensions

6 x 1 x 9 inches
ISBN-10

1501160834
ISBN-13

978-1501160837
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Popular Highlights in this book

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Addicts are addicted to their drugs, and their families are addicted to hope.
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We don’t have a plan, we just do our best to get through the day, because there’ll be another one coming along tomorrow.
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From the Publisher


	A Man Called Ove	Britt-Marie Was Here	my grandmother asked me to tell you she's sorry	Beartown

Customer Reviews	193,159	23,935	24,275	52,788
Price	$12.61	$9.84	$16.13	$11.71
Also by Fredrik Backman

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

An Amazon Best Book of September 2020: An everyday apartment open house becomes the stage for Backman’s latest novel, when a bank robber bursts in and takes a group of strangers hostage. As the title hints, each member of the group bares his or her own anxieties, not just about the hostage situation, but about their individual lives. Backman is a funny, charming story teller, and Anxious People is a fine showcase for his talents as a writer. There are twists and surprises. There are editorial asides. Beneath it all, there is a deep sense of warmth and empathy. Backman is particularly gifted at creating a community of memorable characters and opening up their mental states to readers. And many readers of Anxious People will in turn reflect on their own anxieties. Ultimately, Backman seems to be telling us that—though it be a messy, ambiguous world we inhabit—we can turn toward one another to find calm and assurance. This is a novel that can, and should, be embraced by anxious people everywhere. –Chris Schluep, Amazon Book Review

Review

“Backman again captures the messy essence of being human...It’s clever and affecting, as likely to make you laugh out loud as it is to make you cry.” —Washington Post

“Backman’s latest novel hits the sweet spot between profoundly insightful and preposterously funny….I hugged this book tightly with a smile on my face and tears in my eyes.” –USA Today

“The perfect balance of heartwarming and heart-wrenching, and Fredrik Backman has a way of simply yet elegantly describing relationships. We can all be idiots, but we’re still all human beings worthy of connection and love.” –NPR

“A brilliant and comforting read.” —Matt Haig, bestselling author of The Midnight Library

“An endlessly entertaining mood booster.” —Real Simple

"This book examines how a shared event can change the course of many lives at once. And if you like strongly drawn characters and a mix of humor and heartbreak, this one's for you.” –The Skimm

"[A] witty, lighthearted romp...Backman charms." —Publishers Weekly

"Wry, wise and often laugh-out-loud funny, it’s a wholly original story that delivers pure pleasure.” —People

“A deeply funny and warm examination of how individual experiences can bring a random group of people together. Backman reveals each character’s many imperfections with tremendous empathy, reminding us that people are always more than the sum of their flaws.” —BookPage

"[A] tight-knit, surprise-filled narrative... the brisk, absorbing action prompts meditation on marriage, parenting, responsibility, and global economic pressures. Comedy, drama, mystery, and social study, this novel is undefinable except for the sheer reading pleasure it delivers. Highly recommended."—Library Journal (starred review)

“Backman’s latest novel focuses on how a shared event can change the course of multiple people’s lives even in times of deep and ongoing anxiousness. A story with both comedy and heartbreak sure to please Backman fans.” —Kirkus Review

“Funny, compassionate and wise...an absolute joy.” —AJ Pearce, author of Dear Mrs. Bird

About the Author

Fredrik Backman is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of A Man Called Ove, My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She’s Sorry, Britt-Marie Was Here, Beartown, Us Against You, and Anxious People, as well as two novellas and one work of nonfiction. His books are published in more than forty countries. He lives in Stockholm, Sweden, with his wife and two children. Connect with him on Facebook and Twitter @BackmanLand and on Instagram @Backmansk.

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

Chapter 1 1
A bank robbery. A hostage drama. A stairwell full of police officers on their way to storm an apartment. It was easy to get to this point, much easier than you might think. All it took was one single really bad idea.

This story is about a lot of things, but mostly about idiots. So it needs saying from the outset that it’s always very easy to declare that other people are idiots, but only if you forget how idiotically difficult being human is. Especially if you have other people you’re trying to be a reasonably good human being for.

Because there’s such an unbelievable amount that we’re all supposed to be able to cope with these days. You’re supposed to have a job, and somewhere to live, and a family, and you’re supposed to pay taxes and have clean underwear and remember the password to your damn Wi-Fi. Some of us never manage to get the chaos under control, so our lives simply carry on, the world spinning through space at two million miles an hour while we bounce about on its surface like so many lost socks. Our hearts are bars of soap that we keep losing hold of; the moment we relax, they drift off and fall in love and get broken, all in the wink of an eye. We’re not in control. So we learn to pretend, all the time, about our jobs and our marriages and our children and everything else. We pretend we’re normal, that we’re reasonably well educated, that we understand “amortization levels” and “inflation rates.” That we know how sex works. In truth, we know as much about sex as we do about USB leads, and it always takes us four tries to get those little buggers in. (Wrong way round, wrong way round, wrong way round, there! In!) We pretend to be good parents when all we really do is provide our kids with food and clothing and tell them off when they put chewing gum they find on the ground in their mouths. We tried keeping tropical fish once and they all died. And we really don’t know more about children than tropical fish, so the responsibility frightens the life out of us each morning. We don’t have a plan, we just do our best to get through the day, because there’ll be another one coming along tomorrow.

Sometimes it hurts, it really hurts, for no other reason than the fact that our skin doesn’t feel like it’s ours. Sometimes we panic, because the bills need paying and we have to be grown-up and we don’t know how, because it’s so horribly, desperately easy to fail at being grown-up.

Because everyone loves someone, and anyone who loves someone has had those desperate nights where we lie awake trying to figure out how we can afford to carry on being human beings. Sometimes that makes us do things that seem ridiculous in hindsight, but which felt like the only way out at the time.

One single really bad idea. That’s all it takes.

One morning, for instance, a thirty-nine-year-old resident of a not particularly large or noteworthy town left home clutching a pistol, and that was—in hindsight—a really stupid idea. Because this is a story about a hostage drama, but that wasn’t the intention. That is to say, it was the intention that it should be a story, but it wasn’t the intention that it should be about a hostage drama. It was supposed to be about a bank robbery. But everything got a bit messed up, because sometimes that happens with bank robberies. So the thirty-nine-year-old bank robber fled, but with no escape plan, and the thing about escape plans is just like what the bank robber’s mom always said years ago, when the bank robber forgot the ice cubes and slices of lemon in the kitchen and had to run back: “If your head isn’t up to the job, your legs better be!” (It should be noted that when she died, the bank robber’s mom consisted of so much gin and tonic that they didn’t dare cremate her because of the risk of explosion, but that doesn’t mean she didn’t have good advice to offer.) So after the bank robbery that wasn’t actually a bank robbery, the police showed up, of course, so the bank robber got scared and ran out, across the street and into the first door that presented itself. It’s probably a bit harsh to label the bank robber an idiot simply because of that, but… well, it certainly wasn’t an act of genius. Because the door led to a stairwell with no other exits, which meant the bank robber’s only option was to run up the stairs.

It should be noted that this particular bank robber had the same level of fitness as the average thirty-nine-year-old. Not one of those big-city thirty-nine-year-olds who deal with their midlife crisis by buying ridiculously expensive cycling shorts and swimming caps because they have a black hole in their soul that devours Instagram pictures, more the sort of thirty-nine-year-old whose daily consumption of cheese and carbohydrates was more likely to be classified medically as a cry for help rather than a diet. So by the time the bank robber reached the top floor, all sorts of glands had opened up, causing breathing that sounded like something you usually associate with the sort of secret societies that demand a password through a hatch in the door before they let you in. By this point, any chance of evading the police had dwindled to pretty much nonexistent.

But by chance the robber turned and saw that the door to one of the apartments in the building was open, because that particular apartment happened to be up for sale and was full of prospective buyers looking around. So the bank robber stumbled in, panting and sweaty, holding the pistol in the air, and that was how this story ended up becoming a hostage drama.

And then things went the way they did: the police surrounded the building, reporters showed up, the story made it onto the television news. The whole thing went on for several hours, until the bank robber had to give up. There was no other choice. So all eight people who had been held hostage, seven prospective buyers and one real estate agent, were released. A couple of minutes later the police stormed the apartment. But by then it was empty.

No one knew where the bank robber had gone.

That’s really all you need to know at this point. Now the story can begin.

Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Atria Books; Later Printing edition (September 8, 2020)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 352 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1501160834
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1501160837
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.15 pounds
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6 x 1 x 9 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #13,899 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #150 in Friendship Fiction (Books)
- #179 in Humorous Fiction
- #1,434 in Literary Fiction (Books)

Customer Reviews:
4.4 72,359 ratings

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Fredrik Backman

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Fredrik Backman is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of A Man Called Ove, My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She’s Sorry, Britt-Marie Was Here, Beartown, Us Against You, and two novellas, And Every Morning the Way Home Gets Longer and Longer and The Deal of a Lifetime, as well as one work of nonfiction, Things My Son Needs to Know About the World. His books are published in more than forty countries. His next novel, Anxious People, will be published in September 2020. He lives in Stockholm, Sweden, with his wife and two children. Connect with him on Facebook and Twitter @BackmanLand or on Instagram @Backmansk.

Customer reviews

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Customers find the book great, entertaining, and valuable. They also find the humor amusing and perfectly balanced. Readers describe the story as beautiful, heartwarming, and creative. They appreciate the writing quality and character development.

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Readability Humor Story quality Writing quality Character development Thought provoking Heartwarming Pacing

656 customers mention "Readability"610 positive46 negative

Customers find the book enjoyable, interesting, and valuable. They say it keeps their attention throughout the book and is charming, quirky, and insightful. Readers also mention the author is very gifted in depicting scenery and the stage is beautifully set.

"...deal about scenery, when he does so I also feel he is very gifted in depicting scenery...." Read more

"...The message of this story is sweet and valuable for any reader willing to give it a go...." Read more

"...Truly a delight. Thanks for such an enthralling and lovely story about humanity." Read more

"A good book which weaves the lives, dreams and foibles of its characters into a story about a bridge, a bank, a criminal act and an apartment...." Read more

581 customers mention "Humor"531 positive50 negative

Customers find the humor in the book wildly funny, whimsical, and entertaining. They also describe the narrative as absolutely amusing. Readers also appreciate the unexpected plot twists and conversational writing style.

""Anxious People" is a very clever, witty, heart warming work of fiction authored by Swedish author, Fredrik Backman. The story is set in Sweden...." Read more

"...Backman perfectly balances the ridiculousness of the story with just the right amount and timing of humor." Read more

"...Nevertheless, you should keep in mind that Anxious People is primarily a comical novel, sometimes downright hilarious, and you will laugh many times..." Read more

"I loved the author's sense of humor, his way of identifying with the readers and the joy of mystery. Truly a delight...." Read more

571 customers mention "Story quality"468 positive103 negative

Customers find the story beautiful, heartwarming, and intricate. They also appreciate the delightful characters and creative plot. Readers mention the book is poignant, funny, and a story of humanity.

""Anxious People" is a very clever, witty, heart warming work of fiction authored by Swedish author, Fredrik Backman. The story is set in Sweden...." Read more

"...Anxious People has delightful characters and a creative plot that is pieced together like a puzzle...." Read more

"...This is masterful story-telling! We LOVED it, we're still discussing it weeks later, and we learned empathy. I can't ask for more from a great novel!" Read more

"[spoiler alert]This book is never dearth of surprises and full of thoughts the author wants to say about the society...." Read more

372 customers mention "Writing quality"272 positive100 negative

Customers find the writing quality of the book very well-written, enjoyable, and different. They also say it's easy to read and full of thoughts the author wants to say about society.

"...more than fair to say Mister Backman is one of my favorite authors of contemporary light fiction. Thank You for taking the time to read this review." Read more

"...Backman's writing style is refreshing and stimulating and I cannot think of another writer that comes even close to his ingenious prose...." Read more

"This was a hard book for me to get into for the first half because it didn’t make sense to me and seemed like a lot of random bickering, conversation..." Read more

"...This book is never dearth of surprises and full of thoughts the author wants to say about the society...." Read more

317 customers mention "Character development"272 positive45 negative

Customers find the characters interesting and fully developed. They say the author is masterful in his delivery of quirky people. Readers also mention the book would make for an amazing ensemble cast in a film or series.

"...length and clearly written, although there are numerous characters and various storylines...." Read more

"...People to readers who love a sentimental story with clever characters and plot organization, and I would likely also suggest it as a "palate cleanser..." Read more

"...The book features a large cast of characters -- some of whom are fascinating and deserve to be the protagonist of a completely different novel, and..." Read more

"...was Ove's peculiar idiosyncrasy as well as the great outline of the secondary characters, a kind of trademark for Backman...." Read more

314 customers mention "Thought provoking"272 positive42 negative

Customers find the writing insightful, funny, and literary enough to get them thinking about all sides. They appreciate the philosophical elements and nuggets of wisdom. Readers also say the concept is good and the writing style is stream of consciousness.

"...in unwrapping the key plot points, but it was certainly effective at keeping me guessing...." Read more

"...The book features a large cast of characters -- some of whom are fascinating and deserve to be the protagonist of a completely different novel, and..." Read more

"...What is most remarkable about this book is the vast number of insights on the human condition that are scattered throughout the text and I couldn't..." Read more

"...humour between the lines and in the characters, and the philosophical elements of the book are what gripped me in my seat for hours reading this..." Read more

244 customers mention "Heartwarming"244 positive0 negative

Customers find the book heartwarming, impactful, and profound. They say it pulls on all their emotions, with life-affirming positivity. Readers also mention the book has great reminders and messages.

"...It's both heartbreaking and heartwarming. It's hopeful, while acknowledging the flaws we all have to work through...." Read more

"...Mr. Backman's writing is full of humor, insight, compassion and the inevitable unpredictability of life!" Read more

"...took difficult topics and handled them in a way that was impactful yet lighthearted...." Read more

"...This book is marketed as "feel good" and "humorous", yet anyone going into it should know that it is more like its title than the breezy writeup on..." Read more

95 customers mention "Pacing"41 positive54 negative

Customers have mixed opinions about the pacing of the book. Some mention it's nice and moving from start to finish, while others say it'll become a tedious drag and hard to keep track of the storyline.

"...the action focuses on the less engaging characters, the novel becomes a tedious drag...." Read more

"...The small chapters add to an already fast tempo, that makes reading smoother and highly engaging...." Read more

"...jumped around so much, especially in the beginning, that it made me really confused and anxious...." Read more

"...They are generous, filled with love, and somehow make you laugh along with the tears. I feel his words and his wisdom in my heart...." Read more

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Frank Donnelly

A Witty, Clever, Heart Warming Work of Contemporary Fiction Set in Sweden

Reviewed in the United States on April 4, 2021

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"Anxious People" is a very clever, witty, heart warming work of fiction authored by Swedish author, Fredrik Backman. The story is set in Sweden. It is of medium length and clearly written, although there are numerous characters and various storylines. In that context the story often demanded my complete attention.

I have previously only read one novel by Mister Backman; "A Man Called Ove". I also completely enjoyed that novel. Although the stories are completely different, there are some stylistic similarities. If one has enjoyed "Ove" as I did, then one might enjoy this novel to a similar extent.

Mister Backman tells a story that has certain ironic twists. A reader can begin to draw one conclusion and then discover in short order that he/she had come to a premature, mistaken, conclusion. I find these slight misdirections enjoyable and they make me think. However I do not feel that they come at my expense and I can enjoy the momentary confusion.

The author also causes me to really like certain characters. I identify with them, and care about what happens to them. I find some of the storylines quite touching. Although the author does not write a great deal about scenery, when he does so I also feel he is very gifted in depicting scenery. Some readers tell me that they don't care so much about scenery. I enjoy such narrative very much.

At the same time, the author has a clever sense of humor. I purchased an audiobook and read and listened simultaneously, as I often do. I found the narrator, Marin Ireland, to be quite professional. She gave different voices to different characters and had an excellent sense of comedic timing that enhanced my reading experience. I am not one to suggest lightly that one spend extra money. I emphasize that I did pay the full standard retail price for both products. I did so in this case and was glad that I both read and listened.

In summary, I was very glad that I read and listened to this book on Kindle and Audiobook. I have now read and thoroughly enjoyed two novels by Fredrik Backman. I find his style in the two books similar enough that I intend to take a break before reading a third novel of his. But it is more than fair to say Mister Backman is one of my favorite authors of contemporary light fiction. Thank You for taking the time to read this review.

19 people found this helpful

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Melissa

Fun Book Club Pick, Unique Characters & Plot

Reviewed in the United States on May 6, 2021

Verified Purchase

This book is not what I would normally choose to read. It was a book club pick, and I admit to not being thrilled with the prospect of reading it. However, beyond the discussion and getting to know other readers through the shared experience of reading a book, the whole point of book club is to stretch into genres and authors you wouldn't otherwise try. On the whole, I'm very glad that I had the chance to read this book.

Anxious People has delightful characters and a creative plot that is pieced together like a puzzle. Much like finding all of a puzzle's edge pieces first to determine it's layout, you have to be willing to stick with the story long enough to get a feel for the shape of it. The story, though funny, is rather far-fetched and the characters seem combative with each other at the start. However, Backman, who frequently breaks the fourth wall to address the reader and relate the story to them, makes it clear that the story is meant to be unbelievable and successfully manages to convince the reader to "go with it." With that, it's easier to suspend disbelief and, instead, focus on how the characters connect (or don't connect) as Backman weaves backward and forward in the story timeline. The end result is an immensely satisfying conclusion in which all of the pieces finally form a whole.

There is nothing wrong whatsoever with this book, though I doubt that I would read it again mostly because it's not my usual go-to genre. It might put off a less committed reader (if they were not honor bound by book club to finish it). The structure of the plot jumping back and forth is integral to this story, but I can see how it might not be enjoyable for readers who enjoy a linear timeline. However, my interest is now peaked regarding Backman's other books, and I have already arranged for a watch party with my book club of the 2015 Academy Award nominated film made from his first book, A Man Called Ove.

Favorite Excerpt:

“The truth of course is that if people really were as happy as they look on the Internet, they wouldn't spend so much damn time on the Internet, because no one who's having a really good day spends half of it taking pictures of themselves. Anyone can nurture a myth about their life if they have enough manure, so if the grass looks greener on the other side of the fence, that's probably because it's full of shit. Not that that really makes much difference, because now we've learned that every day needs to be special. Every day.”

Since it's not a book I'd likely keep on my shelf, I cannot give it my highest rating. Nonetheless, I would definitely recommend Anxious People to readers who love a sentimental story with clever characters and plot organization, and I would likely also suggest it as a "palate cleanser" for readers who need an uplifting shift out of their genre ruts. The message of this story is sweet and valuable for any reader willing to give it a go. Backman perfectly balances the ridiculousness of the story with just the right amount and timing of humor.

8 people found this helpful

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Me encantó, para mí que tengo la piel seca, es perfecto. Llegó en tiempo y en buen estado. Lo volvería a comprar.

Buena historia

Reviewed in Mexico on July 23, 2024

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Buena historia, me gustó mucho pero hay mucha lectura introspectiva que te desvía de la historia, eso no me agrado tanto, pero la historia es buena.

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Ana Paula

Entrega Rápida e em Boas Condições

Reviewed in Brazil on December 28, 2022

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Estou muito animada para ler esse! Chegou bem rápido e gostei da versão de capa comum! O meu não veio com aquele adesivo chato da Netflix, então fiquei feliz ahhaha

One person found this helpful

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T

Lektüre

Reviewed in Germany on September 7, 2024

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Interesse Lektüre, sehr zu empfehlen

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Dunn

Beautiful

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on August 10, 2024

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I think this has to be one of the most charming, witty, poignant books I’ve ever read. Perhaps it just found me at the right time, but I was totally absorbed from the first page through to the last.
I adore the writing style. It’s informal and easy to read, yet incredibly clever and thought provoking. And funny. And sometimes sad.
But then maybe I’m just another idiot trying to muddle my way through life.
If you are too, then maybe you’ll love this book as much as I did.

One person found this helpful

Swati

my favourite, i think

Reviewed in India on June 20, 2024

Verified Purchase

🌻 They say that a person’s personality is the sum of their experiences. But that isn’t true, at least not entirely, because if our past was all that defined us, we’d never be able to put up with ourselves. We need to be allowed to convince ourselves that we’re more than the mistakes we made yesterday. That we are all of our next choices, too, all of our tomorrows 🌻

This book was a birthday gift from a friend i love very much. It came to me at a time when i hopeless and was looking for something to smile about. It was the first book picked up after a long long time and happy to report it was worth it. I'm not going to lie and say this is an easy book to read. Because Backman has a point, "no one and nothing is as they seem " and he drives it home repeatedly with every incomplete reveal. The first half will test your patience, because the narrative has no set time-line, it's non-linear and it waves back and forth between the past and the present. Frankly, i found the characters quite annoying. But once i got to the second half, the speed picked up and timelines became crystal clear. After that i didn't even want to put the book down and drink water. The characters became people i see on the streets daily, like friends, like people i love. It was charming, sad, hilarious and had me right where it wanted. Entranced.

For me, Backman is a magician. Because weaving sensitive topics such as sui**de, love, loss, parenthood and grief in such a way that the reader ends up laughing and crying at the same time seems like quite an impossible task. But this book for me has struck that fine balance. It's a beautiful reflection of humanity. I feel like this is going to one of those books that's going to stay in my heart for years. Looking forward to reading more from this author.

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Anxious People: A Novel Hardcover – September 8, 2020

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Anxious People: A Novel Hardcover – September 8, 2020

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Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

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Customer Review: Very unique read! Try it!

About the author

Fredrik Backman

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Torn pages, excellent author

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