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Anxious People: A Novel Audiobook
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(5.00) - 5 listener ratings
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Publisher Description
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.
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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 a Swedish author of the New York Times bestselling novel Beartown, as well as A Man Called Ove, and My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She’s Sorry, and Britt-Marie Was Here, among others. His books are published in more than forty countries and have sold more than ten million copies.
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.