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A Bit of Optimism

A Bit of Optimism

Choose Your Seven Humans Wisely with author Fredrik Backman

Nov 18, 2025 · 58m

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What if great friendships aren’t found by luck but built through effort? Bestselling novelist Fredrik Backman, the mind behind A Man Called Ove (adapted into the Tom Hanks film A Man Called Otto), Anxious People, and the beloved Beartown series, has spent his career writing about the quiet power of ordinary people. But in his real life, he learned one of his most important lessons from his best friend of 30 years: meaningful friendship is a skill you develop, not a lottery you win. Despite being a self-described introvert, Fredrik discovered that you don’t need hundreds of friends. You only get a few humans who truly shape your life. His newest book, My Friends, is a tribute to those…