Lars Kepler’s The Mirror Man is No. 1 in e-books on the list covering week 48 in Norway. Jørn Lier Horst features at No. 4 on the same list, with A Question of Guilt.
Fredrik Backman’s Anxious People has been chosen as an NPR Book Concierge title. The Book Concierge is an interactive reading guide published each fall by the National Public Radio – a non-profit public service organization in the US – containing a handpicked selection of the best books of 2020. The staff at NPR as well as critics are asked to nominate their favorite titles, which the editors and producers at NPR Books then go through to make the final selection.
The choice of Anxious People was accompanied by the following quote:
“A surprisingly sweet tale. It’s the perfect balance of heartwarming and heart-wrenching, and Fredrik Backman […] has a way of simply yet elegantly describing relationships. We can all be idiots, but we’re still all human beings worthy of connection and love.”
Antti Tuomainen’s Little Siberia is the winner of the prestigious 2020 Petrona Award for “Best Scandinavian Crime Novel of the Year.”
The judges’ statement on Little Siberia:
Antti Tuomainen’s Little Siberia stood out on the shortlist for all of the judges. From its arresting opening, in which a meteorite unexpectedly lands on a speeding car, to its very human depiction of a pastor grappling with private and theological crises, this is a pitch-perfect comic crime novel with considerable depth and heart.
The first Finnish crime novel to receive the Petrona Award, Little Siberia is a particularly fitting winner for 2020 – a year in which life was turned upside down. A celebration of resilience, fortitude and simply muddling through, it is a novel for our times.
David Hackston’s fine translation captures Little Siberia’s depictions of an icy northern Finland and its darkly comic tone, skilfully showcasing the writing of one of Scandinavia’s most versatile and original crime authors.
Jo Nesbø and Jørn Lier Horst are two of the authors shortlisted for the Norwegian book industry publication BOK365’s Book of the Year Award. Nesbø is nominated for his stand-alone The Kingdom, while Horst features on the list with A Question of Guilt, the fourth installment in the Cold Case Quartet.
Photo: Linus Sandgren
Niclas Larsson started his on-screen career early on as an actor, and already during his teens he began directing his own shorts and music videos, borrowing camera equipment from the productions he worked at. After graduating theatre school in 2009, he enrolled at USC Cinema School. At the age of 21, he finished his acclaimed short Vatten, which earned him the Grand Jury Prize and the Audience Award for ‘Best Short’ at the prestigious Gothenburg Film Festival in 2013. Vatten also opened up the eyes of the advertising world to Larsson’s powerful visuals and effective storytelling, and he soon became one of the top commercial directors in the world, sharing a space with directors like Spike Jonze and Mike Mills at the renowned production house MJZ.
Larsson is also the director of two celebrated shorts made for Vogue, starring Alicia Vikander and Anna Wintour: The Magic Diner Part I and II.
Larsson is on the road towards carving a strong career as a multidisciplinary storyteller, and is currently working on multiple projects of varying formats.
Photo: Fredrik Bankler
Björn Natthiko Lindeblad (b.1961) is a Swedish public speaker, meditation teacher and former Buddhist monk. In his mid-twenties Björn swapped his career as a business executive for life as a forest monk in the jungles of Thailand. There he was given the name Natthiko, meaning “one who grows in wisdom.” His book I May Be Wrong has won the hearts and minds of the Swedish people and tells the story of Björn’s life journey and the hard-won insights he’s gained into how one can live a more free and present life. The book, written in close collaboration with Björn’s friends and colleagues Caroline Bankler and Navid Modiri, became an instant No. 1 bestseller.
Caroline Bankler (b.1983 ) is a Swedish producer and project manager. Caroline was the producer of Björn Natthiko Lindeblad’s acclaimed nationwide tour Keys to freedom.
Navid Modiri (b.1983) is a podcaster, speaker and author. He has worked as a TV- and radio host and is a popular speaker on the topics of creativity and diversity.
Jo Nesbø’s The Kingdom has been handpicked by the Sunday Times as one of the best thrillers of the year in its prestigious Books of the Year article. The newspaper calls the novel “a sombre, brutally executed delight.”
As is tradition, SVT’s annual Christmas Calendar will premiere on December 1, this Tuesday. This year’s Christmas Calendar, Miracle, has already received great reviews in Swedish press. Svenska Dagbladet has called it “the most successful Christmas Calendar in nine years,” and Aftonbladet described it as “fun, exciting, educational and well-acted.”
Miracle is directed by Calle Åstrand and written by Peter Arrhenius, Fredrik Agetoft and Sara Young.
Lars Kepler and Kristina Ohlsson each grab three top spots on the official Swedish bestseller lists this week. In this round, The Mirror Man is No. 1 in hardcover, No. 2 in e-books, and No. 3 in audio. Storm Watch is No. 3 in hardcover, No.3 in e-books and No. 4 in audio.
Kristina Ohlsson’s third Martin Benner title, To Him Who Knocks, stays put at No. 5 on the paperback list in Norway. Lars Kepler also repeat their performance from the past weeks, coming in at No. 1 in e-books with The Mirror Man. The No. 5 spot goes to Jørn Lier Horst’s A Question of Guilt.
Finland, Otava
Two-book deal closed by Tor Jonasson
Estonia, Varrak
Closed by Emma Granberg
Hungary, BookLab
Closed by Emma Granberg
Italy, Nord
Closed by Tor Jonasson
Slovakia, Barecz & Conrad
Closed by Emma Granberg
Finland, Atena Kustannus
Closed by Federico Ambrosini
Are two brains better than one? As far as SON is concerned, we can say yes! The tension rises gradually, the plot quickly rivets us to our seats and the character of Kari Voss, with all her flaws and doubts, is well constructed.
– TVA Nouvelles
Brilliant. /…/ A quietly psychological novel.
– BTJ
[Q]uestions about life and death, love, friendship and loneliness. /…/ A breath-taking cliffhanger.
– Aftonbladet
When the Cranes Fly South is a powerful and emotional meditation on life and death, the importance of companionship, and how memories stay with us into old age. It’s a deeply moving read, with an emotional impact that lingers long after the final page. /…/ Ridzén’s writing and characterisation are striking, making this a truly memorable and affecting read (…) I urge everyone to pick this one up!
– Nota Bene Prize
The novel is linguistically magnificent and dramatically breathtakingly well-structured, leaving one in awe – Icelandic female writers are currently in a class of their own.
– Nordis
Imagine the nicest person in the world. That’s Sandrine. A cheerful outlook will take you far, and Sandrine is niceness personified. Until one day, she isn’t. ‘All is Well, Always’ is a story about smiling widely and biting your tongue. And about what happens when you suddenly stop.
