Anxious People is a novel by Swedish author and columnist Fredrik Backman. Originally titled Folk med ångest and written in Swedish, it was translated by Neil Smith for the English world. It was originally published in 2019 and the translated version was released in 2020 by Atria Books. The novel is set in Sweden and explores a crime that never happened. A group of strangers is brought together by the most unexpected connection among them.
A bank robber fails in his attempt to rob a bank. As he flees the scene of the crime that never happened, he stumbles upon a group of diverse individuals in an apartment open house. He takes them hostage and throughout the ordeal, they have to deal with their individual problems.
The characters have to deal with lifelong trauma and heartache in one afternoon. Love, death, pain, truth, and passion are addressed in this social experiment that seeks to unravel the true nature of each character in a bold and comprising way. Despite the troubling circumstances, there's so much humor, compassion and wisdom.
Anxious People is a story about enduring the worst of times and finding hope in the little things. It was nominated for the 2020 Goodreads Choice Award for Fiction.
