The Answer Is No

A Short Story

By: Fredrik Backman, Elizabeth DeNoma - translator

Narrated by: Stacy Gonzalez

In a hilarious short story from New York Times bestselling author Fredrik Backman, the absurdities of modern life cause one man’s solitary world to spin suddenly, and comically, out of control.

Lucas knows the perfect night entails just three things: video games, wine, and pad thai. Peanuts are a must! Other people? Not so much. Why complicate things when he’s happy alone?

Then one day the apartment board, a vexing trio of authority, rings his doorbell. And Lucas’s solitude takes a startling hike. They demand to see his frying pan. Someone left one next to the recycling room overnight, and instead of removing the errant object, as Lucas suggests, they insist on finding the guilty party. But their plan backfires. Colossally.

Told in Fredrik Backman’s singular witty style with sharply drawn characters and relatable antics, The Answer Is No is a laugh-out-loud portrait of a man struggling to keep to himself in a world that won’t leave him alone.

©2024 by Vecka 16 AB (P)2024 Brilliance Publishing, Inc., all rights reserved. Translation © 2024 by Elizabeth DeNoma.

So good I wish the book was longer so I could keep reading..

I am a huge fan of this author to begin with, he’s my favorite, but even if I had never read any of his other stuff I would still love this short story. The character is so relatable, and I laughed out loud at many of his inner dialogue thoughts. Highly recommend!

Got me in the feels as usual.

It was nice to enjoy a short story. Love his long ones too of course but I hope to see more short stories as well. He’ll probably say no.

Fredrick is Backman

If all you of heard or listen to of Backman was the Beartown, boy will you been in for a surprised. More farce than anything, so no dark 90 degree turn.

Short and funny

I enjoyed this short, funny and witty story about an introvert who I related to so much! I loved the nuggets of wisdom in between the drama

Funny and tender

Highly recommend! For a short story the plot was worthwhile and Hackman developed the characters at just the right pace. Funny and tender in parts!