The Things We Never Say
What it's about
Artie Dam is a man with a secret. He teaches history to high schoolers, gently correcting their casual cruelties, goes to holiday parties with his wife of three decades and sails on Massachusetts Bay on weekends. By all appearances he is present and alive, but Elizabeth Strout shows the private life beneath the surface, and what happens when it surfaces.
Why it's worth reading
It was a finalist for the 2026 Booker Prize. Strout, a Pulitzer winner for Olive Kitteridge, writes about ordinary lives with extraordinary compassion.
You'll love it if you liked
Olive Kitteridge, My Name Is Lucy Barton or Stoner
Good to know
It's short and quiet, focused on one man's inner life. Strout's fans will recognize her Maine and Massachusetts.
Quick answers
Is The Things We Never Say worth reading?
Yes. It was a finalist for the 2026 Booker Prize. It ranks #759 of the 2,819 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 75.5 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is The Things We Never Say about?
Artie Dam is a man with a secret. He teaches history to high schoolers, gently correcting their casual cruelties, goes to holiday parties with his wife of three decades and sails on Massachusetts Bay on weekends. By all appearances he is present and alive, but Elizabeth Strout shows the private life beneath the surface, and what happens when it surfaces.
How long does it take to read The Things We Never Say?
About 5 hours (208 pages), or about 10 days at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after The Things We Never Say?
If you liked it, try Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Strout, My Name Is Lucy Barton by Elizabeth Strout or Stoner by John Williams.
By the numbers
- Readers62 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics32 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Bestseller28 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Buzz100 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Booker Prize finalist (2026).
Where it ranks
- #85 of the 309 literary novels we rank
- #135 of the 481 new books we rank
- #759 of the 2,819 books we rank
Shortlisted
- Booker Prize finalist (2026)
Reads as
Moving
More by Elizabeth Strout
Olive Kitteridge
