Henning Koch Books In Order

Publication Order of Standalone Novels

Publication Order of Short Story Collections

Henning Koch is a translator and an author.

He was born in Sweden but moved to England when he was young. Henning attended London University, where he studied English literature. He would then go on to spend a full decade traveling as well as working in the United States, Asia, Spain, and South America.

Henning has always been interested in literary translation. He has also introduced a variety of Spanish writers tot he international stage. He has a love for Mediterranean and Hispanic culture, something that has been a huge influence on his writing. He is the author of the short story collection Love Doesn’t Work and is also known for writing his novel The Maggot People, as well as the novel A Bit of Black.

He has also done several translations for works by artists such as Anders Rydell, Tom Malmquist, Martin Shibbye, Birgitta Stenberg, Fredrik Backman, Artur Lundkvist, and more. One of the translations that he did ended up being a 2015 nomination for Best Fiction from the Goodreads Choice Award.

A Man Called Ove is a 2012 book by Fredrik Backman that was translated by Henning Koch. Readers who have been looking for something new, fun and creative to enjoy might find their ideal selection in this book!

This story centers around the main character of Ove. He’s kind of a curmudgeon and is the type of guy who sees people that he dislikes and points at them, like they are burglars and thieves that have been caught just outside of his bedroom window trying to break in.

Ove has his principles, his routines, and a short fuse. Some refer to him as the bitter neighbor from hell, but is he the type of guy who has to be labeled as bitter or cranky just for the fact that he doesn’t constantly walk around with a smile on his face?

Underneath his cantankerous exterior there comes along a story and a sadness. One morning in November, a young couple and their two daughters move in next door. They are all very chatty and used to talking a lot, but in the process of moving in, they accidentally completely flatten Ove’s mailbox.

This is the funny and heartwarming story of friendship that is formed in the most unlikely of places, of unkempt cats, of how to back up a U-Haul. One simple incident could be the very thing to change the life of an isolated older man and the local residents’ association, going down to the foundation. Check out this story for yourself and see what you think!

My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She’s Sorry is a 2013 book by Fredrik Backman that was translated by Henning Koch. If you’ve been looking for something new to read that is a little different from the other stories there but intensely interesting, perhaps this is the book for you!

Main character Elsa is just seven years old and she’s a girl who is very different. Her grandmother is seventy-seven years old and is also deranged in a way that could be described as crazy, like the type of person to go out on the balcony and decide to pepper off a few paintball rounds as strangers.

She also happens to be Elsa’s best friend and the only friend that she has. When the night comes, Elsa is able to take refuge in the stories that her grandmother tells to her, taking place in the land where she is almost awake and the Kingdom of Miamas, a place where everyone is different and there is no need for people to be normal.

It’s a nice thing, but unfortunately it cannot go on forever. Elsa’s grandmother passes away and even leaves a series of letters behind where she made apologies to those that she had wronged. Suddenly Elsa has another grand adventure in front of her and a way to keep the memory of her grandmother alive.

The instructions left to her by her grandmother end up taking her to an apartment building that is filled to the brim with things like monsters, attack dogs, drunks, and old crones. However, they also end up taking her to find out more about the truth regarding fairy tales, kingdoms, and the type of grandmother that was one of a kind.

In the end, this is an uplifting story that includes life and death but also focuses on one of the most important human rights in life, which is the right to be different. This is a story that is told with comic accuracy and a ton of heart. Pick up a copy and find out why this story might just be your next favorite read.