The Things We Never Say

Artie Dam teaches high school history, correcting his students' casual cruelties and finding a kind word for those who need it most. He has been married for three decades, makes small talk at holiday parties, and at weekends sails out on Massachusetts Bay. Inside, though, he feels deeply alone, and one question keeps returning: how can we know so little about one another, even those closest to us? Then he learns that life has been keeping a secret from him, and everything he holds dear must be reconsidered.

This standalone novel from the Pulitzer-winning, Booker-shortlisted Strout explores grief that echoes across decades, the comfort of deep friendship and the freedom of finally setting secrets down. It will stay with anyone who has wondered what goes unsaid between the people they love.