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Anxious People Audiobook
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(5.00) - 5 listener ratings
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Publisher Description
#1 New York Times bestseller
From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of A Man Called Ove and “writer of astonishing depth” (The Washington Times) comes a poignant comedy 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.
Viewing an apartment normally doesn’t turn into a life-or-death situation, but this particular open house becomes just that when a failed bank robber bursts in and takes everyone in the apartment hostage. As the pressure mounts, the eight strangers begin slowly opening up to one another and reveal long-hidden truths.
First is Zara, a wealthy bank director who has been too busy to care about anyone else until tragedy changed her life. Now, she’s obsessed with visiting open houses to see how ordinary people live—and, perhaps, to set an old wrong to right. Then there’s Roger and Anna-Lena, an Ikea-addicted retired couple who are on a never-ending hunt for fixer-uppers to hide the fact that they don’t know how to fix their own failing marriage. Julia and Ro are a young lesbian couple and soon-to-be parents who are nervous about their chances for a successful life together since they can’t agree on anything. And there’s Estelle, an eighty-year-old woman who has lived long enough to be unimpressed by a masked bank robber waving a gun in her face. And despite the story she tells them all, Estelle hasn’t really come to the apartment to view it for her daughter, and her husband really isn’t outside parking the car.
As police surround the premises and television channels broadcast the hostage situation live, the tension mounts and even deeper secrets are slowly revealed. Before long, the robber must decide which is the more terrifying prospect: going out to face the police, or staying in the apartment with this group of impossible people.
Rich with Fredrik Backman’s “pitch-perfect dialogue and an unparalleled understanding of human nature” (Shelf Awareness), Anxious People’s whimsical plot serves up unforgettable insights into the human condition and a gentle reminder to be compassionate to all the anxious people we encounter every day.
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"Fredrik Backman's book A Man Called Ove is one of my absolute, all time favorite books. I had high hopes for "Anxious People" and was not as impressed with this one like I was when I read Ove. Still, the story kept my attention and I enjoyed the interaction of the characters. This was a quick, easy read and I'd suggest it to anyone who enjoys quirky story telling and fun characters."
— Julie (5 out of 5 stars)
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“Delightful, insightful, soulful.”
— USA Today -
“An endlessly entertaining mood booster.”
— Real Simple -
“[A] quirky, big-hearted novel…Wry, wise, and often laugh-out-loud funny, it’s a wholly original story that delivers pure pleasure.”
— People -
“Backman again 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.”
— Washington Post -
“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…This is an audiobook to savor. Winner of the AudioFile Earphones Award.”
— AudioFile -
“Comedy, drama, mystery, and social study, this novel is undefinable except for the sheer reading pleasure it delivers. Highly recommended.”
— Library Journal (starred review) -
"[A] witty, lighthearted romp…Backman charms with his empathetic description of the robber, who gradually earns sympathy from the hostages…[An] amusing send-up of contemporary Swedish society.”
— Publishers Weekly -
“Backman’s latest novel focuses on how a shared event can change the course of multiple people’s lives even in times of deep and ongoing anxiousness. A story with both comedy and heartbreak sure to please Backman fans.”
— Kirkus 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."
Awards
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#1 New York Times bestseller
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People Pick of the Week
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Amazon Best Book of the Month
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Winner of an AudioFile Earphones Award
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New York Times Bestseller in Audio
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A Libro.FM Pick of Best Audiobooks of the Year
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#1 Amazon bestseller
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A Good Housekeeping Pick for Fall
Anxious People Listener Reviews
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" Fredrik Backman has a way with words that makes your want laugh, cry or gasp at his insight in human emotions. Loved every word. "
— Jamie, 9/12/2023 -
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5/31/2023
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nicole czapek, 10/30/2022
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Galen, 5/29/2021
About Fredrik Backman
Fredrik Backman is the author of several #1 New York Times bestselling novels, as well as two novellas and one work of nonfiction. His books are published in more than forty countries. He lives in Stockholm, Sweden, with his wife and two children. Connect with him on Facebook and X @BackmanLand and on Instagram @Backmansk.
About Marin Ireland
Marin Ireland is a voice artist who has won five Earphones Awards as well as the prestigious Audie Award for Best Female Narration in 2020. She is an award-winning actress known for her starring role in the Broadway show Reasons to Be Pretty, for which she was nominated for a Tony Award. She has appeared in a number of off-Broadway shows and television series, including Homeland, Unforgettable, The Killing, The Following, and others.