Order of Fredrik Backman Books

Fredrik Backman — a name that’s almost synonymous with bittersweet magic — was born on June 2, 1981, in Brännkyrka, Sweden. And no, before you ask, he isn’t dead (thankfully). He's very much alive, still weaving the kind of stories that sneak up behind your heart, punch it a little, and then sit down for coffee as if nothing happened.

Backman's early life wasn't the classic “child prodigy writes first novel at age 7” kind of story. In fact, he lived a relatively quiet, unremarkable childhood. He studied at Folkhögskola (a kind of Swedish folk high school) — a far cry from ivy-draped universities — and worked a variety of odd jobs, including as a forklift driver, before finding his true calling: telling the kinds of stories that make millions of people weep on public transportation.

His journey into writing wasn't exactly plotted like one of his novels either. It was messy, hilarious, human — just like his characters. Fredrik started off writing blog posts and columns, where he honed that signature voice: dryly funny, deeply empathetic, and sneakily devastating. It wasn’t until 2012 that the world was properly introduced to his genius with the publication of "A Man Called Ove", a book about a cranky old man that somehow made millions sob and then recommend it to their own grumpy dads.

The book exploded. It became an international bestseller, a critically acclaimed movie in Sweden, and eventually, a 2022 Hollywood remake titled "A Man Called Otto," starring Tom Hanks — because, let's face it, only Hanks could channel that much tragic grumpiness.

Since then, Fredrik Backman hasn’t slowed down. With novels like "Beartown," "Anxious People," and "My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She's Sorry," he carved out a genre almost entirely his own: part comedy, part tragedy, all heart. His books dive headfirst into the messy, ridiculous beauty of being human — examining everything from small-town scandals to the fragility of forgiveness — and they do it with a wink, a sigh, and a gut punch that leaves readers dazed.

Backman’s writing is powered by his unflinching belief that ordinary people are extraordinary if you just look close enough. His characters — be they hockey players, lost souls, angry neighbors, or confused grandchildren — are never shiny or perfect. They’re gloriously flawed, and that's what makes us love them even more.

In his personal life, Fredrik is famously private. He lives in Stockholm with his wife, Neda Shafti Backman, and their two children. Despite his enormous success (millions of books sold, translations in over 40 languages, a literary career most writers would sell their soul for), he’s remained refreshingly humble, often joking about his own social awkwardness and preference for staying out of the spotlight.

Why Fredrik Backman's Story Matters

Fredrik Backman reminds us that the best stories don’t come from towering genius or tortured artist clichés. They come from noticing people — from seeing the loneliness under someone’s gruffness, the dreams hiding inside a quiet town, the way love endures even when it looks like anger or regret. His life proves you don’t have to be born extraordinary to create something extraordinary. You just have to care.

And maybe — just maybe — be willing to break a few hearts in the process.