Small Comfort
Sweden

Small Comfort

by Ia Genberg

Summary

Money can buy comfort, security, and freedom—but what happens when it begins to determine the value of our relationships?

In Small Comfort, Ia Genberg brings together five interconnected stories populated by people whose lives are shaped by money, ambition, and self-deception. A former child star has become a struggling thief; an actor is hired to deliver a speech at a stranger’s wedding; and an estranged couple pretends to be happily married to secure an inheritance. Beneath these seemingly absurd situations lie uncomfortable questions about what people owe one another and what they are willing to sacrifice for financial gain.

With sharp humour and an unflinching eye for human weakness, Genberg reveals how economic value seeps into our most intimate relationships, influencing the way we love, judge, and measure ourselves. Witty, surprising, and quietly unsettling, Small Comfort explores the strange bargains we make in pursuit of security and happiness. The English translation was longlisted for the 2026 International Booker Prize.

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Ia Genberg
Ia Genberg

Ia Genberg is a Swedish journalist and novelist, born in 1967. She began her writing career as a journalist before publishing her debut novel, Sweet Friday, in 2012. Her fiction is known for its close observations of human behaviour, understated humour, and interest in the complexities of everyday life. Her other works include Belated Farewell (2013) and The Details (2022), a novel about memory and the people who leave lasting marks on our lives. The Details won Sweden’s August Prize for Fiction in 2022 and was shortlisted for the International Booker Prize in 2024, bringing Genberg international recognition. Originally published in Swedish as Klen tröst och fyra andra berättelser om pengar, Small Comfort appeared in 2018. Its English translation by Kira Josefsson was published in 2026 and longlisted for the International Booker Prize. Genberg continues to explore how personal relationships are shaped by memory, money, desire, and the stories people tell themselves.

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Published
2026
Author
Ia Genberg