Anxious People

A Novel

By: Fredrik Backman

Narrated by: Marin Ireland

Length: 9 hrs and 53 mins

Publisher's summary

An instant number-one New York Times best seller, the new novel from the author of A Man Called Ove is a “quirky, big-hearted novel.... Wry, wise and often laugh-out-loud funny, it’s a wholly original story that delivers pure pleasure” (People).

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. 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.

Proving once again that Backman is “a master of writing delightful, insightful, soulful, character-driven narratives” (USA Today), Anxious People “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” (The Washington Post). This “endlessly entertaining mood-booster” (Real Simple) is proof that the enduring power of friendship, forgiveness, and hope can save us - even in the most anxious of times.

©2020 Fredrik Backman. All rights reserved. (P)2020 Simon & Schuster. All rights reserved. Translation Copyright ©2020 Neil Smith. Originally published in Sweden in 2019 as Folk med Angest Published by arrangement with Salomonsson Agency

20000 STARS GREAT IN EVERY WAY!!

The character development on each and every "Anxious" person...is so smart and superior. I listened to some sections on the slowest speed just so I could write down the words!! About divorce, about love, about relationships, about banking and finance! FREDRIK BACKMAN DOES IT AGAIN!!!! I think this one is his best yet! I pray he lives a veryyyyy long time to share his delicate, thoughtful words!! I even actually LAUGHED OUT LOUD at the snarky Zara comments!! THANK YOU BACKMAN AND KEEP WRITING and I will stick with Audible. MARIN IRELAND'S NARRATION WAS ABSOLUTELY FABULOUS!! I felt like I was listening to a Broadway play!! THANK YOU THANK YOU!!

Exactly what I needed in this moment

This is one of those novels that make you wish you hadn’t given five star ratings to previous novels but had reserved that honor for stories like this one. It is a perfect mix of tragic and hilarious, believable and absurd. Another reviewer mentioned Backman’s profound understanding of human behavior, and that understanding is what makes every individual member of this ensemble cast of flawed humans ultimately likable and lovable. In a time when my faith in humanity has been deeply shaken, this was the breath of fresh air and infusion of hope I needed. A thoroughly enjoying read. Flawless performance as well… I suppose the highest compliment one can give is that i was never pulled away from the story by thoughts of what the narrator was doing.

fantastic

I totally loved this book, cared about all the characters and was genuinely excited to find out what happens next!

Good but not Backman's best

As usual, Fredrik Backman has given us a novel with memorable characters, centered around an event, told with layered complexity and pathos and humor. This book fell just a little short for me, though, in that the twists were not only somewhat predictable but also relied on some clumsy (and increasingly obvious) obfuscation to sustain them. (I found myself wondering if maybe Swedish has genderless pronouns, making this a translation nightmare...?) Also, the first half of the book was a little tiring, with the characters engaging in the kind of miscommunication that frustrates me as an observer, and a kind of borderline slapstick that ended up being a (mildly predictable) plot point, but was annoying at the time.

You should read this book

The author has an innate ability to truly connect to
human nature from so many different angles. It was both an amazing book and a touching account that tangled up emotions and relationships and humanity in a way that made me sad the book was over.

Excellent/Brilliant

I am a fan of Fredrik Backman. His version of humor and drama is just captivating. I laughed, I was offended, indignant, amused, just so many emotions. Yes Fredrik - we are ALL idiots. There was another review that was able to sum up the 'experience' of this story much better than I can. I will definitely give this another listen or two just because I (if no one else) needs to be reminded of our humanity once in a while. The narration was entirely spot on. Marin Ireland was able to capture the personalities of each character.

Those who rated this without finishing - I feel sorry for them - they were either not in the right place for this (been there) or were too painfully reminded of their humanness.

We are all pathetic idiots at one time or another. BTW - Fredrik Backman's blog is eye opening!! What a human/genius to be able to translate his perceived dysfunction into something most of us recognize.

Simply put - GREAT!

Somehow, using a word like great to describe this book seems like an understatement. It is so interesting, so well-written, so well-narrated, so well-told, so funny, so special to listen to or read. I could go on, but I think you get the picture. It is one of the finest books I have ever listened to or read, and that covers a lot of books. Wow!

I didnt know just how much i needed this

i have to say this book is just magic, the voice of a narrator has the perfect voice for it

What a story

The twists the turns the heart! One of the few books that I am going to listen to again just for the sheer comfort that he knows what life is truly about. Such insight into the flaws and miracle of being human. We are indeed all connected!

Best story I've read in a long time.

This was so much fun. Lots of laugh out loud funny moments (teenage London and middle aged Zara provide most of them). But a lovely story about broken people muddling along the best they can. Yes, certain elements are far-fetched, but that is part of the charm of this story - life is stranger than fiction, and this story captures some of that.