Here’s what Karen Bellovich, Chicago Review of Books, recently wrote about Swedish author Fredrik Backman, a favorite of mine: “His writing is lovingly detailed, and his stories have been described as warmhearted, charming, wise, funny, and powerful. As a reader, I’ve loved how Backman’s stories capture one from the very first page. I’ve long admired the way his stories are written: pages filled with compassionate characters, wonderful details, and beautiful descriptions.”
Below are three novels by Backman that fit in well with Minding Therapy themes.
I. A Man Called Ove (2012)
You may already know this one by the American movie A Man Called Otto (2022), starring Tom Hanks. But before this version was the Swedish film adaptation, cowritten by Backman, with the novel’s actual name, A Man Called Ove (2015)—or in its original wording, En man som heter Ove. Both films are well worth seeing, and both adhere reasonably well to the essence of the book.
The film trailer for the English-speaking portrayal of curmudgeon Otto sets up the possibility of Otto softening via his encounters with others; however, it downplays that he’s a grieving widower and altogether omits his suicidal tendencies.
II. Anxious People: A Novel (2019)
Quite an unusual situation: While a group of potential buyers attend an apartment open house, a masked bank robber bursts in and takes them hostage. Anxiety is rife among everyone involved—and not just because of the current plight.
The review and further set-up from Chris Schluep, Amazon.com: “There are twists and surprises. There are editorial asides. Beneath it all, there is a deep sense of warmth and empathy. Backman is particularly gifted at creating a community of memorable characters and opening up their mental states to readers. And many readers of Anxious People will in turn reflect on their own anxieties. Ultimately, Backman seems to be telling us that—though it be a messy, ambiguous world we inhabit—we can turn toward one another to find calm and assurance. This is a novel that can, and should, be embraced by anxious people everywhere.”
III. My Friends: A Novel (2025)
Many had cited this as one of the most anticipated novels of 2025—and it delivers mightily.
Elena Burnett, NPR: “This is Fredrik Backman at the height of his empathy and resonance. It’s the story of a painting – its artist and its subjects – and the journey of a young woman to understand how it came to be. It’s also a deeply personal exploration of art, what we sacrifice of ourselves to bring beauty into the world and what we gain when others find a home within it. I frequently paused to marvel at the way Backman captured the rebellion of joy, the ferocity of devotion and the cruelty of indifference. Every Backman book should come with the warning that your heart will be split in two but also, more importantly, with the assurance that it will be repaired with restored faith in the small miracles of being human.”
