‘Names that end with ‘son’, spelled with just one ‘s’, they sound American. Easy to pronounce in English. Couldn’t tell you why, but it’s true. A name is important, a marker you should finesse if you can. Ia … is that short for something?’
Ia Genberg
Swedish author Ia Genberg, born in 1967, began her writing career as a journalist
She published her debut novel Sweet Friday in 2012. She went on to write Belated Farewell (2013), Small Comfort (2018) and The Details (2022) – all widely praised by critics and frequently featured on Swedish bestseller lists.
The Details, shortlisted for the International Booker Prize 2024 and winner of the August Prize 2022, has sold in 39 territories around the world. The English language edition of Small Comfort, translated by Kira Josefsson, was longlisted for the International Booker Prize 2026.
Author photo © Sara Mackey
The dramatic distinctness of the five stories that make up Small Comfort speaks to the might of Genberg’s imaginative powers, while the intricate threads tying them together are testament to her subtleness as a thinker
The International Booker Prize 2026 judges on Small Comfort
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All nominated books
Intricately built and wickedly humorous, these five interconnected short stories are all about one thing: money
In exhilarating, provocative prose, Ia Genberg reveals an intimate and powerful celebration of what it means to be human
