Before us is Frederick Backman, one of whose books we have already analyzed. Yes, yes, this is Uwe’s Second Life. So, if you haven’t read the analysis yet, be sure to do so before studying this book.
The Swedish author himself knows how to write simply about complex things. He, like readers, is concerned about the meaning of life, human memory, the ruthlessness of the modern world and death.
Today we will analyze another book by Buckman “Anxious people”. So sit back, it will be interesting!
Brief story
Photo: YouTube
Before us are eight stories and eight hidden secrets that in a normal situation would never have become known. However, the situation in which the eight characters of Buckman’s social horror find themselves is just extraordinary.
Imagine a small town in Sweden and New Year’s fuss. In one apartment there was an old woman, who is already over 80 years old, a married couple, addicted to buying furniture in IKEA, pregnant and a multimillionaire. It would seem that everything is not so bad if the muzzle of the pistol was not alternately directed at them.
They are threatened by an unknown masked man who failed to rob the bank. He did not plan to take 8 people hostage, and he definitely did not want to confess everyone, releasing sins and wiping the tears of the penitent.
However, his soul cannot withstand such pressure, especially after all approaches to the house are blocked by the police, and an operation is being prepared to storm the apartment where the criminal is holding hostages. But no one expected such a decision from the criminal …
Photo: Apple Zen
This is the backlog of Buckman’s psychological horror. If there is a desire to read, then the book can be bought, for example, here at a fairly good price. Well, we are moving on.
The meaning of the book
Before us is a group of small people on whom nothing depends at the moment with huge hearts. The awkward situation in which they are all forced to find themselves exposes their lives and divides it into before and after.
In the story of each of the eight hostages, the same problem comes through: the fear of “adult” life, as well as a desperate attempt to hide from reality under various pretexts. This problem is now familiar to everyone – from the older generation to the younger.
Photo: YouTube
The modern world is cruel and rapidly changing, so it is quite easy and convenient for most people to hide from problems behind a screen and not look into the eyes of real reality. It’s safer and easier that way.
However, ignoring the problem does not solve it. So days and years pass, and pretense becomes a stable mask, a second personality behind which hides a shaking child.
In such a situation, there are only two options: either hide from the outside world until the end of your days and only imitate productive activities for the benefit of the country and society, or face your fear and emerge victorious from the fight.
Anxious People is by no means a depressing book. We don’t know how Buckman does it, but after the conversations with maximum empathy that we read, only one thing remains in our heads: “Everyone does everything he can, where he is, with what he has.”
Photo: vilkibooks.com
Therefore, one cannot blame every person for cowardice and fear, because we cannot be in his shoes. However, we are able to help our neighbor look at reality with different eyes, so that we can learn to swim in this raging ocean.
This concludes our analysis. If you have any questions or suggestions, be sure to ask them in the comments. And we have prepared other reviews for you. Here they are:
What the book “The Subconscious Can Do Anything” by John Kehoe teaches: how to become a superman from scratch
The meaning of the series “Karpov” or how the former cop embarked on the path of correction
How did the Ashes series end or what does the thief and commander of the Red Army have to do with it
Well, now we say goodbye to you. Peaceful sky above your head and see you soon on the pages of new articles. Bye Bye!
