He gives credit to his wife and to his publisher and editors for assisting in that department. The two do not appear compatible, but having a blue collar job probably added a degree of realism to the books written by Backman.īackman is a solid story teller, but does not consider himself to be a good technical writer.

Swedish author, Fredrik Backman made a huge leap in changing careers when he became an author after earning a living as a fork lift driver. It is always interesting to me to hear the answers given by authors when they are asked questions such as.how did you know you wanted to be a writer or author, or how do you begin to construct a new novel? There are many who try their hand at writing, but very few actually become successful authors.

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. 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. And all of them-the bank robber included-desperately crave some sort of rescue. None of them is entirely who they appear to be. Each of them carries a lifetime of grievances, hurts, secrets, and passions that are ready to boil over. 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. 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. 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. From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of A Man Called Ove and “writer of astonishing depth” (The Washington Times) comes a poignant, charming 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.

Anxious people audio book