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My Friends

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My Friends

Written by: Fredrik Backman
Narrated by: Marin Ireland
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About this listen

#1 New York Times bestselling author Fredrik Backman, who “captures the messy essence of being human” (The Washington Post), returns with an unforgettably funny, deeply moving tale of four teenagers whose friendship creates a bond so powerful that it changes a stranger’s life twenty-five years later.

Most people don’t even notice them—three tiny figures sitting at the end of a long pier in the corner of one of the most famous paintings in the world. Most people think it’s just a depiction of the sea. But Louisa, an artist herself, knows otherwise and she is determined to find out the story of these three enigmatic figures.

Twenty-five years earlier, in a distant town, a group of teenagers find refuge from their difficult home lives by spending their days laughing and telling stories out on a pier. There’s Joar, who never backs down from a fight; quiet and bookish Ted who is mourning his father; Ali, the daughter of a man who never stays in one place for long; and finally, there’s the artist, a boy who hoards sleeping pills and shuns attention, but who possesses an extraordinary gift that might be his ticket to a better life. These four lost souls find in each other a reason to get up each morning, a reason to dream.

Out of that summer emerges a transcendent work of art, a painting that will unexpectedly be put into eighteen-year-old Louisa’s care. As she struggles to decide what to do with this bequest, she embarks on a surprise-filled cross-country journey to learn the story of how the painting came to be. The closer she gets to the painting’s birthplace, the more she feels compelled to unleash her own artistic spirit, but happy endings don’t always take the form we expect in this fresh testament to the transformative power of friendship and art.

©2025 Fredrik Backman (P)2025 Simon & Schuster Audio
Editors Select Friendship Genre Fiction Literature & Fiction Funny

What listeners say about My Friends

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Bring a Handkerchief

Wow ... My first Fredrick Backman book, but not my last. Loved all the characters in this book and you cannot help but reminisce a little about your own childhood friends. Get it now! This book does not disappoint

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Fav Backman yet!

This was exceptional. I would watch this movie over & over. Someone should get on that.

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Marvellous

Backman just keeps doing it. Another page turner and the narration was so good. This story has so many layers of grief and triumph.

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Excellent!!

I have loved everything that this man writes, and perhaps this one is his best.

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Amazing story of life and friendship

Totally captivating and charming! Well written with many lovely twists and turns in the story line! Will definitely follow and read the author again! Did not want it to end!

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Loved every second.

Wonderful. I don’t know how Backman accurately writes pain and loss while keeping the reader hopeful. You want to hold on to each character and love them. Highly recommend.

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Great storytelling!

This is what I call astonishing writing and storytelling. I was completely immersed in the story from the beginning.
To evoke all kinds of emotions, one must understand what being human is.
From the beginning, the author creates an atmosphere of anticipation that was so heartwarming, so heartbreaking that I was suffering with anxiety, afraid of what might happen next.
Then later on I really thought that my heart was going to explode because I couldn’t hold that much emotion.
Those who follow my reviews will remember that I often complain of repetitive writing, but here it was skillfully executed. Pure art!

The translator did an amazing job. Such a great command of the language!

I loved the structure of the story. Its timeline, although not linear, was easy to follow. The author capture the moments so beautifully, with so much heart and soul. I laughed, and I cried.

Stories about friendship and family have always captivated me, but only skillfully writers can touch me deeply. Backman is one of those.

An excerpt: “…sometimes you don’t appreciate your own blessings until you see the envy in someone else”.

I listened to the audiobook as I read the book. As for the narrator, I couldn’t listen to her voice at normal speed, as I thought it was too slow and not pleasant to my ears, but at 1.25x I had no problems enjoying the story.

Hardcover: 436 pages

e-book (Kobo): 448 pages (default), 133k words, 59 chapters

Audiobook narrated by Marin Ireland: 13.1 hours (normal speed), unabridged.

And yes, I used the 3 formats: ebook while commuting to and from work, hardcover while in the comfort of my home, and audiobook when I was reading each format.

PS. The story involves teenagers and there are plenty of swearing words, so it may not please everyone. Also, it can be hard to like some of the characters in the beginning of the book, so if you are one of those readers who needs to love the characters, just be patient. There is a reason for every action.

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one of us

This book has a way of pulling you back to your own childhood and wanting to find your tribe. what a beautifully written book. I hope this becomes a movie

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Quite possibly my favourite book.

This book made me laugh and cry. Sometimes in the same 2 minutes. I loved so much how the author is able to show the vulnerability and strength we all have through each character. I’m so sad to finish this book. Now to buy all books from Bachman that I can find!

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Good but not amazing

I love his books and his style of writing. This is a little bit different - good - but wanted to have more of Bakhmann

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