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

Backman’s words and Ireland’s voice = MAGIC

I am a huge Fredrik Backman fan and couldn’t wait for this book to be released in English. This work of genius is a heartwarming, carefully woven, wise yet whimsical tale on its own, and Marie Ireland’s voice somehow brings it together with such perfection that it just shines even more! I just finished after over 6 hours of listening today and all I want to do is listen again. If you’re a Backman fan already, you definitely won’t want to miss this. And if you aren’t a fan yet, you’re about to be!

Sweet beautiful story

If you loved a man called Ove you will love this as well- Backman has an incredibly insightful and equally sensitive understanding of human beings and the struggles and joy that each of us faces to make everyday the fabric of our lives. The writing is highly skilled. The characters are vivid and engaging. They remain in your psyche as people you remember teaching you something about life. Anxious people is a beautiful reminder of how necessary each of our idiotic lives is to one another.
I’m not sure how much I would enjoy this narrator for other books but there could not have been a better choice than her to convey the depth and range of the emotion Backman tries to convey.

Excellent Book

Laugh out loud funny, touching and heartwarming, this book captures the mood of the times we are in currently.
Insightful and told in an interesting way.
Highly recommended.

Masterpiece

This is Backman’s masterpiece. I’ve followed him since “A Man Called Ove”. This story is a fantastical story of ordinary people in an extraordinary situation. It’s about those little, unspoken, fears we all have as collective humans. Yet, somehow we use that to keep us separated. Ironically, these are the things that we all have in common actually. Beautiful. Heartbreaking. Soaring.

Delightful and insightful

This is a Masterclass in character development! It is Laugh out loud funny and then it speaks directly into your SOUL. The narrator is FANTASTIC! She masters every voice and gets you to understand the nuance of every conversation. This my favorite book of the year.

Very good

This book is a little whacky, very touching, thought provoking and hard to step away from.

Outstanding!

Another wonderful winner by Backman! Love his work. Good narration. Look forward to hearing another.

An engrossing, wonderful story

In some ways this book reminded me of Dickens. There are multiple characters who seem to have nothing in common. But as the story unfolds, you learn how they are all connected. I have never laughed so much listening to a book. However, even with the humor it containers serious subjects like suicide, bank robbery and hostages are taken. But more importantly, it is about how we all affect one another in small and big ways and for good or bad. It shows how very alike we humans really are despite our apparent differences. And even though I teared up at the end, it wasn't due to sadness but joy and hope for the future. This book did what I hope all books I start to read do...it took me out of my current thoughts into a world unknown, full of adventure with characters I loved, empathized with and hated. But ultimately it was about love in all its forms.

Different

I urge people to read this book all the way to the end as it has a beautiful message. It begins by telling a sad story that will relate to most of the people in the story & leads you to the irony in life and the ending is so beautiful. I almost gave up on this book early as I don’t like sad stories but I am so glad I stayed for the entire story

loved it

So many stories woven into one big story. I enjoyed it very much. Good ending too, for everyone.