Anxious People

A Novel

By: Fredrik Backman

Narrated by: Marin Ireland

An instant #1 New York Times bestseller, 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.

Critic reviews

"Marin Ireland uses her many theatrical gifts in her fine narration of this bittersweet novel. The listener is treated to an exceptional audio experience in which the narrator plays all the parts with nuance and wit. She modulates her pace and tone as she brings this human comedy to life. At once a send-up of Swedish mores and a deeply humane story of contemporary struggles, this novel has characters galore—a banker with a guilty conscience, a father-and-son police team, an inept bank robber who just wants to make rent, an endearing 87-year-old woman who loves books, among others. Often laugh-out-loud funny, the set piece revolves around the taking of 'the worst group of hostages ever.' This is an audiobook to savor."

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.

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.

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.

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.