The Things We Never Say by Elizabeth Strout captures the way grief reverberates through decades, the comfort found in deep friendships and the freedom that comes when we break free of our secrets. Artie Dam is a man with a secret. He spends his days teaching history to high schoolers, expanding their young minds, correcting their casual cruelties, and lending a kind word to those who need it most. He goes to holiday parties with his wife of three decades, makes small talk with neighbours, and, on weekends, takes his sailboat out on the beautiful Massachusetts Bay. But inside, Artie is plagued by feelings of isolation. He looks out at a world gone mad and turns a question over and over in his mind: how is it that we know so little about one another, even those closest to us? Link in bio to find out more about the book. #BookerPrize #BookerPrize2026 #Newbooks #BookTok #ElizabethStrout @Elizabeth Strout Author @Viking Books UK @Penguin Books UK