Kira Josefsson on 'Small Comfort' (Nominated for the International Booker Prize - 2026)

Kira Josefsson on 'Small Comfort' (Nominated for the International Booker Prize - 2026)

From Harshaneeyam by Harshaneeyam

April 17, 2026 · 22 min · Season 5 · Episode 14

About this episode

The episode features translator Kira Josefsson discussing her work on Ia Genberg's 'Small Comfort', exploring themes of money and relationships.

"Welcome to Harshaneeyam Podcast. Today, we enter the intricate, wickedly humorous, and deeply observant world of Swedish author Ia Genberg . Joining us is the acclaimed translator Kira Josefsson , whose English translation of the short story collection - Small Comfort , has been longlisted for the International Booker Prize 2026 . Kira is no stranger to Genberg’s sharp prose; she also translated the 2024 International Booker Prize-shortlisted novel The Details . In Small Comfort , the author shifts her focus toward the subtle, often invisible ways that money, status, and debt permeate our most intimate human relationships. From a former child star turned elusive interviewee to a divorced couple feigning marriage to secure an inheritance, these stories take us to the inner worlds of these characters. Stay with us as we discuss the 'slippery' nature of success, the challenge of finding distinct tonalities for interconnected stories, and why Ia Genberg is a master of making the mundane feel extraordinary." If you enjoy Harshaneeyam Podcast please follow the show on Apple , Spotify , or your favourite podcasting platform and leave a review for us. It will help truly help us; and…

People in this episode

Host: Harshaneeyam

Guest: Kira Josefsson

Topics covered

Mentioned in this episode

Books & works: Small Comfort, The Details

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