Oh William!: A Novel
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • BOOKER PRIZE FINALIST • The Pulitzer Prize–winning author of Olive Kitteridge and My Name is Lucy Barton explores the mysteries of marriage and the secrets we keep, as a former couple reckons with where they’ve come from—and what they’ve left behind.
ONE OF THE TEN BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR: Maureen Corrigan, NPR’s Fresh Air
“Elizabeth Strout is one of my very favorite writers, so the fact that Oh William! may well be my favorite of her books is a mathematical equation for joy. The depth, complexity, and love contained in these pages is a miraculous achievement.”—Ann Patchett, author of The Dutch House
I would like to say a few things about my first husband, William.
Lucy Barton is a writer, but her ex-husband, William, remains a hard man to read. William, she confesses, has always been a mystery to me. Another mystery is why the two have remained connected after all these years. They just are.
So Lucy is both surprised and not surprised when William asks her to join him on a trip to investigate a recently uncovered family secret—one of those secrets that rearrange everything we think we know about the people closest to us. There are fears and insecurities, simple joys and acts of tenderness, and revelations about affairs and other spouses, parents and their children. On every page of this exquisite novel we learn more about the quiet forces that hold us together—even after we’ve grown apart.
A BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR: The New York Times Book Review, The Washington Post, Time, Vulture, She Reads
ONE OF THE TEN BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR: Maureen Corrigan, NPR’s Fresh Air
“Elizabeth Strout is one of my very favorite writers, so the fact that Oh William! may well be my favorite of her books is a mathematical equation for joy. The depth, complexity, and love contained in these pages is a miraculous achievement.”—Ann Patchett, author of The Dutch House
I would like to say a few things about my first husband, William.
Lucy Barton is a writer, but her ex-husband, William, remains a hard man to read. William, she confesses, has always been a mystery to me. Another mystery is why the two have remained connected after all these years. They just are.
So Lucy is both surprised and not surprised when William asks her to join him on a trip to investigate a recently uncovered family secret—one of those secrets that rearrange everything we think we know about the people closest to us. There are fears and insecurities, simple joys and acts of tenderness, and revelations about affairs and other spouses, parents and their children. On every page of this exquisite novel we learn more about the quiet forces that hold us together—even after we’ve grown apart.
A BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR: The New York Times Book Review, The Washington Post, Time, Vulture, She Reads
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Community Reviews
thenextgoodbook.com
What’s it about?
Lucy Barton and her ex-husband William have been divorced for years and yet they remain connected to each other. In this novel Lucy explores the nature of their relationship.
What did it make me think about?
“But who ever really knows the experience of another?”
Should I read it?
I LOVE Elizabeth Strout- she writes so sparingly and yet has such insights. I am in awe of her abilities as a writer. Do not miss this little gem of a story. My absolute favorite book this year!
What’s it about?
Lucy Barton and her ex-husband William have been divorced for years and yet they remain connected to each other. In this novel Lucy explores the nature of their relationship.
What did it make me think about?
“But who ever really knows the experience of another?”
Should I read it?
I LOVE Elizabeth Strout- she writes so sparingly and yet has such insights. I am in awe of her abilities as a writer. Do not miss this little gem of a story. My absolute favorite book this year!
Oh William! by Elizabeth Strout is a slow, slice-of-life novel that follows Lucy Barton, a successful writer living in New York. I read this one with my book club, and really enjoyed it.
The book is about various incidents that make Lucy "reconnect" with her first husband William, after the death of her second husband. They go on a trip together (both literally and emotionally), just to unearth old memories and family secrets.
The story isn’t driven by dramatic events. It's mostly about Lucy’s inner thoughts and her interactions with people around her, especially William. It feels like reading someone’s private journal written at the end of a long day.
At just 240 pages, Oh William! is almost a short read. And even though it's part of a series, it feels complete on its own.
The writing is simple and easy to follow, and Lucy feels personal and honest. She feels like a charming grandma looking to build new connections out in the world.
It's not fast-paced though. So, you might like taking your sweet time to read. It's a slow read for slow afternoons.
Best suited for readers who enjoy introspective, literary fiction. The relationship between Lucy and William made me mushy on several occasions.
This was an OK book but not one of my favorites by far. The writing style was interesting and different from any other book I have read.
My review on Oh William… epic book chosen by our
Sue B. Wine and Words Bookclub.
Oh William
I would like to say a few things about this book.
Well there are 2 things I must say but then there could be more I would say, but first I want to say - I will say this, Oh Sue !
I thought at first this book would be a nice change. I know sometimes it’s nice to have a change of genre but Oh Sue !
This book is not what I expected, I must say , it’s nothing like my expectations of this book.
The 2 things I wanted to say that I mentioned in the start are this, firstly, I tried very hard to finish this book.
The 2nd thing I wanted to say is , I couldn’t.
It wasn’t disturbing at all. I did not find it disturbing or even boring. It is hard to explain my feelings for this book. Unusual? Going no where. No story.
No feeling, no life, no nothing.
Just a book of words, more thoughts really, it’s just a book of thoughts from a very strange author.
And I’ll say this , Oh Sue !
love thus woman’s storytelling. this third installment lost me a bit towards the end, but nonetheless enjoyed it.
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