Big in Sweden

A Novel

By: Sally Franson

Narrated by: Meg Ryan

NARRATED BY MEG RYAN

“Sally Franson is a world class entertainer. She can finesse a serio-comic moment in a way that leaves you catching your breath. Deft and delicious, this book is a flat out delight machine. A heart opener, a page turner, and a true ‘originell!' I laughed out loud, I ugly cried, and I never, ever wanted it to end."—Meg Ryan, actor, writer, director

A charming, wise, and laugh-out-loud funny novel following an American woman competing on a Swedish reality show in an attempt to discover her roots.

Paulie Johansson has never put much stock in the idea of family: she has her long-term boyfriend Declan and beloved best friend Jemma, and that’s more than enough for her. Yet one night on a lark, she lets Jemma convince her to audition for Sverige och Mig, a show on Swedish television where Swedish-Americans compete to win the ultimate prize: a reunion with their Swedish relatives. Much to her shock, her drunken submission video wins her a spot on the show, and against Declan’s advice Paulie decides to go for it.

Armed with her Polaroid camera, a beat-up copy of Pippi Longstocking, and an unquenchable sense of possibility, Paulie hops on a plane to Sweden and launches into the contest with seven other Americans, all under the watchful eye of a camera crew. At first, Paulie is certain that she and her competitors have nothing in common besides their passports and views their bloodthirsty ambitions with suspicion. Yet amid the increasingly absurd challenges—rowing from Denmark to Sweden in the freezing rain, battling through obstacle courses, competing in a pickled herring eating contest—Paulie finds herself rethinking her snap judgments about her fellow countrymen, while her growing attachment to her Swedish roots increases her resolve to win the competition herself.

Grappling with long-held notions of family, friendship, and love—not to mention her feelings for the distractingly handsome Swedish cameraman who’s been assigned to follow her around—Paulie starts to reconsider her past and rethink what she wants for the future. A fish-out-of-water tale filled with warmth, optimism, and wit, Big in Sweden is at its heart a love story: love for family, friends, country, and—most importantly—oneself.

"If you devoured Pippi Longstocking as a kid, you will not be able to turn away from Big in Sweden. Reading this hilarious, heartfelt book was even more fun than watching reality television. I absolutely loved it!"—Jessica Anya Blau, author of Mary Jane

©2024 Sally Franson (P)2024 HarperCollins Publishers

Favorite book of the year

This story was 100% delightful, from start to finish, and Meg Ryan’s narration was absolutely perfect. The writing was smart, hilarious, and kind. Treat yourself and enjoy this adventure.

An absolute pleasure!

I couldn’t stop listening to this witty, playful tale of Pauline Swedish adventures! What a joy!

Rom-com with some depth

Sally Franson based her story on her adventures as a contestant on a Swedish reality show. It’s a well-written rom-com with a backbone of actual experience, and Franson crafted the characters with a good bit of complexity. Meg Ryan’s narration was a bit flat, and her pronunciation of Swedish words was uneven, but it didn’t detract from the story. A fun read/listen that’s light but not frivolous.

lovely book about growth in sweden

fun story. a bit preachy at times, but overall a fun read. great narrator.

Could not finish this book.

Found this to be an irritating,immature and extreme usage of making Americans look quite stupid.