The Things We Never Say

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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. He is, by all appearances, present and alive.

But inside, Artie is plagued by feelings of isolation. And then, one day, Artie learns that life has been keeping a secret from him, one that threatens to upend his entire world.

The new novel about love, loneliness and new beginnings from the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of My Name is Lucy Barton.

'Strout's prose is brilliantly understated and all the more powerful for that' Booker Prize judges 2026

Author: Elizabeth Strout

Shortlisted for the Booker Prize 2026

Published on 7 May 2026 by Viking.