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Quick answer: If you loved Anxious People, read Fredrik Backman's A Man Called Ove and Britt-Marie Was Here, then Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine, The Rosie Project and The Thursday Murder Club. All are warm, funny novels about flawed people who help each other in surprising ways.
Fredrik Backman's 2019 novel follows a failed bank robber who accidentally takes a group of strangers hostage at an apartment viewing, and the police officers who must work out what happened. It is funny, tender and full of wise observations about anxiety and kindness. The books below offer similar mixes of comedy, heart and unlikely friendships.
Table of Contents
Quick Picks at a Glance
| Book | Author | Ages | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| A Man Called Ove | Fredrik Backman | Adult | grumpy hearts |
| Britt-Marie Was Here | Fredrik Backman | Adult | late-life change |
| My Friends | Fredrik Backman | Adult | friendship and art |
| Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine | Gail Honeyman | Adult | healing loneliness |
| The Rosie Project | Graeme Simsion | Adult | romantic comedy |
| The Thursday Murder Club | Richard Osman | Adult | cosy humour |
| Where'd You Go, Bernadette | Maria Semple | Adult | quirky mother |
| The Hundred-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out of the Window and Disappeared | Jonas Jonasson | Adult | comic adventure |
| The Midnight Library | Matt Haig | Adult | alternate lives |
| The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry | Rachel Joyce | Adult | gentle journey |
| Nothing to See Here | Kevin Wilson | Adult | odd family |
| The Storied Life of A. J. Fikry | Gabrielle Zevin | Adult | bookshop heart |
| Olive Kitteridge | Elizabeth Strout | Adult | linked stories |
| Convenience Store Woman | Sayaka Murata | Adult | work and alienation |
| One Day | David Nicholls | Adult | love over decades |
1. A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman
A cranky widower finds friendship and purpose despite himself. Funny and moving.
Best for: grumpy hearts.
2. Britt-Marie Was Here by Fredrik Backman
A woman who loves cleaning takes a job in a rundown town. Warm and funny.
Best for: late-life change.
3. My Friends by Fredrik Backman
A teenager's friendship with three men and a painting. Gentle and emotional.
Best for: friendship and art.
4. Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman
A socially awkward woman slowly opens up. Sad, funny and deeply human.
Best for: healing loneliness.
5. The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion
A genetics professor designs a questionnaire to find a wife. Light and charming.
Best for: romantic comedy.
6. The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman
Four retirees solve cold cases and then a murder. Funny and warm.
Best for: cosy humour.
7. Where'd You Go, Bernadette by Maria Semple
A teenager searches for her mother, who has disappeared before a family trip. Funny.
Best for: quirky mother.
8. The Hundred-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out of the Window and Disappeared by Jonas Jonasson
A man escapes his nursing home and stumbles into adventure. Silly and charming.
Best for: comic adventure.
9. The Midnight Library by Matt Haig
Nora explores the lives she might have lived. Gentle and hopeful.
Best for: alternate lives.
10. The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry by Rachel Joyce
A retired man walks across England to deliver a letter. Quiet and moving.
Best for: gentle journey.
11. Nothing to See Here by Kevin Wilson
A young woman cares for twins who catch fire when upset. Funny and tender.
Best for: odd family.
12. The Storied Life of A. J. Fikry by Gabrielle Zevin
A grumpy bookseller finds a baby in his shop. Warm and bookish.
Best for: bookshop heart.
13. Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Strout
Linked stories about a prickly retired teacher in a small Maine town. Pulitzer-winning.
Best for: linked stories.
14. Convenience Store Woman by Sayaka Murata
A woman who works in a convenience store resists social pressure. Short and strange.
Best for: work and alienation.
15. One Day by David Nicholls
Two friends meet on the same date each year across twenty years. Funny and sad.
Best for: love over decades.
How to Choose
For more Backman begin with A Man Called Ove or Britt-Marie Was Here. For gentle comedy pick Eleanor Oliphant, The Rosie Project or The Thursday Murder Club. For quirky families read Where'd You Go, Bernadette or Nothing to See Here. For quiet reflection try Harold Fry or Olive Kitteridge. Anxious People is warm and funny, so these picks suit readers who like comfort with a twist. Backman's books have been widely adapted, including a Netflix series of Anxious People, but the novels are worth reading first for their narrator's voice.
Related: Anxious People Book Club Discussion Questions (With Summary and Themes) · 15 Books Like The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People You’ll Love: Habits, Leadership and Personal Growth
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Anxious People about?
A failed bank robbery turns into a hostage situation at an apartment viewing.
Who wrote it?
Fredrik Backman.
When was it published?
2019 in Swedish, 2020 in English.
Is it a comedy?
Yes, with real emotional depth.
Is there a TV series?
Yes, a Netflix series.
Is it a mystery?
There is a puzzle about the robber's identity.
Is it sad?
It deals with grief and anxiety, but is hopeful.
What should I read next?
Try A Man Called Ove.
Which book here is best for healing loneliness?
Try Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman, which suits readers looking for healing loneliness.
Which book here is best for quirky mother?
Try Where'd You Go, Bernadette by Maria Semple, which suits readers looking for quirky mother.
Which book here is best for gentle journey?
Try The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry by Rachel Joyce, which suits readers looking for gentle journey.
Which book here is best for linked stories?
Try Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Strout, which suits readers looking for linked stories.