Small Comfort

Longlisted for the International Booker Prize!

From the author and translator of The Details, shortlisted for the International Booker Prize 2024, comes a story about five people—or five stories about small talk and big lies.

From a successful child actor who has now turned into a failing thief to an actor hired to give a speech at a stranger's wedding to a couple feigning married bliss to keep their inheritance, Small Comfort brilliantly examines the value of people and money.

Capturing the profound beauty of everyday moments, each tale is an evocative journey written with sharp insight and emotional depth. From the subtle undercurrents of wealth and loss to the naked vulgarity of greed, Small Comfort invites us to reflect on the ways in which material pursuits can fulfill or betray us. Whether it's illuminating the fragile comfort found in wealth or the devastating consequences of its absence, Ia Genberg's narratives resonate with universal truths about human nature, vulnerability, and ambition, and effortlessly reminds us of their deeper meaning.

la Genberg began her writing career as a journalist. She is the author of the novels Söta fredag (Sweet Friday) Sent farväl (Belated farewell), and The Details, her English language debut, which won the 2022 August Prize; and the short story collection Klen tröst & fyra andra berättelser om pengar (Small comfort & four other tales about money). She lives in Sweden.