Der gewöhnliche Mensch

What happens when the dream of a just society suddenly comes to an end? What is the right way to live? With sharp insight and a dark sense of humor, the award-winning Swedish bestselling author Lena Andersson tells the story of the dreams and life lies of a seemingly ordinary Swedish family. Ragnar Johansson is a furniture carpenter and workshop teacher. A rugged and very proper man, he takes pride in being one of the building blocks of the Swedish welfare state. He believes in the welfare state and is convinced that it has led humanity from the dark Middle Ages into modernity. Didn't Sweden, in the 1970s, already have the most daycare centers, the smallest wage gaps, the greatest film director, the leading children's book author, the best slalom skier, tennis player, and the best pop band? Wasn't this life better than that of his mother Svea, who came from impoverished farming conditions? For a long time, Ragnar's daughter Elsa tries to live up to her father's lofty ideals. But eventually, she too breaks away. Time, it seems to Ragnar, is suddenly no longer his.