Tell Me Everything: Oprah's Book Club: A Novel (Amgash, 5)
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • OPRAH’S BOOK CLUB PICK • From Pulitzer Prize–winning author Elizabeth Strout comes a “stunner” (People) of a novel about new friendships, old loves, and the very human desire to leave a mark on the world.
“Tell Me Everything hits like a bucolic fable. . . . A novel of moods, how they govern our personal lives and public spaces, reflected in Strout’s shimmering technique.”—The Washington Post
SHORTLISTED FOR THE WOMEN’S PRIZE FOR FICTION • A BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR: Time, NPR, Vogue, Parade
With her remarkable insight into the human condition and silences that contain multitudes, Elizabeth Strout returns to the town of Crosby, Maine, and to her beloved cast of characters—Lucy Barton, Olive Kitteridge, Bob Burgess, and more—as they deal with a shocking crime in their midst, fall in love and yet choose to be apart, and grapple with the question, as Lucy Barton puts it, “What does anyone’s life mean?”
It’s autumn in Maine, and the town lawyer Bob Burgess has become enmeshed in an unfolding murder investigation, defending a lonely, isolated man accused of killing his mother. He has also fallen into a deep and abiding friendship with the acclaimed writer Lucy Barton, who lives down the road in a house by the sea with her ex-husband, William. Together, Lucy and Bob go on walks and talk about their lives, their fears and regrets, and what might have been. Lucy, meanwhile, is finally introduced to the iconic Olive Kitteridge, now living in a retirement community on the edge of town. They spend afternoons together in Olive’s apartment, telling each other stories. Stories about people they have known—“unrecorded lives,” Olive calls them—reanimating them, and, in the process, imbuing their lives with meaning.
Brimming with empathy and pathos, Tell Me Everything is Elizabeth Strout operating at the height of her powers, illuminating the ways in which our relationships keep us afloat. As Lucy says, “Love comes in so many different forms, but it is always love.”
“Tell Me Everything hits like a bucolic fable. . . . A novel of moods, how they govern our personal lives and public spaces, reflected in Strout’s shimmering technique.”—The Washington Post
SHORTLISTED FOR THE WOMEN’S PRIZE FOR FICTION • A BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR: Time, NPR, Vogue, Parade
With her remarkable insight into the human condition and silences that contain multitudes, Elizabeth Strout returns to the town of Crosby, Maine, and to her beloved cast of characters—Lucy Barton, Olive Kitteridge, Bob Burgess, and more—as they deal with a shocking crime in their midst, fall in love and yet choose to be apart, and grapple with the question, as Lucy Barton puts it, “What does anyone’s life mean?”
It’s autumn in Maine, and the town lawyer Bob Burgess has become enmeshed in an unfolding murder investigation, defending a lonely, isolated man accused of killing his mother. He has also fallen into a deep and abiding friendship with the acclaimed writer Lucy Barton, who lives down the road in a house by the sea with her ex-husband, William. Together, Lucy and Bob go on walks and talk about their lives, their fears and regrets, and what might have been. Lucy, meanwhile, is finally introduced to the iconic Olive Kitteridge, now living in a retirement community on the edge of town. They spend afternoons together in Olive’s apartment, telling each other stories. Stories about people they have known—“unrecorded lives,” Olive calls them—reanimating them, and, in the process, imbuing their lives with meaning.
Brimming with empathy and pathos, Tell Me Everything is Elizabeth Strout operating at the height of her powers, illuminating the ways in which our relationships keep us afloat. As Lucy says, “Love comes in so many different forms, but it is always love.”
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Community Reviews
thenextgoodbook.com
What’s it about?
Elizabeth Strout returns to Crosby, Maine to tell another story. This novel revolves around Lucy Barton and her special friendship with Bob Burgess. We see many of Elizabeth Strout’s old cast of characters in this story- including Olive Kitteridge.
What did it make me think about?
The importance of being heard- and the importance of truly listening. Bob Burgess understands that, “People did not care, except for maybe one minute. It was not their fault, most just could not really care past their own experiences.”
Should I read it?
As many of you know, I LOVE Elizabeth Strout’s novels! I was so excited to pick this one up. And I also know that many of you don’t. Elizabeth Strout writes about the beauty in the small moments of life. Some have told me that these books don’t have enough action. I get this, but I think that may be the whole point. SO I HAVE GIVEN UP TRYING TO PERSUADE YOU! If you did not like her novels before- you will not like this one. If, like me, she is one of your favorite writers- you will savor every page.
Quote-
“People suffer. They live, they have hope, they even have love, and they still suffer. Everyone does. Those who think they’ve not suffered are lying to themselves.”
What’s it about?
Elizabeth Strout returns to Crosby, Maine to tell another story. This novel revolves around Lucy Barton and her special friendship with Bob Burgess. We see many of Elizabeth Strout’s old cast of characters in this story- including Olive Kitteridge.
What did it make me think about?
The importance of being heard- and the importance of truly listening. Bob Burgess understands that, “People did not care, except for maybe one minute. It was not their fault, most just could not really care past their own experiences.”
Should I read it?
As many of you know, I LOVE Elizabeth Strout’s novels! I was so excited to pick this one up. And I also know that many of you don’t. Elizabeth Strout writes about the beauty in the small moments of life. Some have told me that these books don’t have enough action. I get this, but I think that may be the whole point. SO I HAVE GIVEN UP TRYING TO PERSUADE YOU! If you did not like her novels before- you will not like this one. If, like me, she is one of your favorite writers- you will savor every page.
Quote-
“People suffer. They live, they have hope, they even have love, and they still suffer. Everyone does. Those who think they’ve not suffered are lying to themselves.”
This is my 4th "Olive" book, so I am very familiar with the characters. This book was so hard to follow, I believe the point was to connect them all, but I found it incredibly confusing with so many different storylines (past and present) and just not caring about any of them. It read like a jumbled mess.
I Love Elizabeth Strout’s books! When I got this for my birthday I decided I needed to read all of her books before reading this one. This was just as good as the rest, but especially loved it because her past characters from various books were woven into the story. Just loved it!
This novel felt like a quiet tapestry of real lives—messy, ordinary, and deeply human. Strout doesn’t go for drama or big twists; instead, she finds meaning in small moments and everyday conversations. The way she writes about connection, aging, and the quiet ache of being human is beautiful and true.
If you love character-driven stories that linger long after the last page, this one will stay with you. It reminded me how much people want to be seen and heard—and how powerful it is when someone says, “Tell me everything,” and means it.
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