Anxious People by Fredrik Backman is absolutely delightful! It's the story of a bank robber and the worst hostages ever. It's about the butterfly effect - the phenomenon whereby a minute localized change in a complex system can have large effects elsewhere. Like A Man Called Ove, the author uses rich storytelling, relatable characters and humor to deal with heavy stuff - loss and loneliness of all kinds. The love, empathy and compassion are palpable.
"The truth about all this? The truth is that this was a story about many different things, but mostly about idiots. Because we're doing the best we can, we really are. We're trying to be grownup and love each other and understand how the hell you're supposed to set up USB leads. We're looking for something to cling onto, something to fight for, something to look forward to. We're doing all we can to teach our children how to swim. We have all of this in common, yet most of us remain strangers. We never know what we do to each other. How your life is affected by mine. Perhaps we hurried passed each other in a crowd today and neither of us noticed, and the fibers of your coat brushed against mine for a single moment and then we were gone. I don't know who you are. But when you get home this evening, when this day is over and the night takes us, allow yourself a deep breath. Because we made it through this day as well. There'll be another one along tomorrow."
- The Farm by Joanne Ramos
- American Dirt by Jeanine Cummins
- Between Two Kingdoms by Suleika Jaouad
- Leaving Time by Jodi Picoult
- Her Last Flight by Beatriz Williams
- White Fragility by Robin DiAngelo
