The Things We Never Say - an ordinary man takes stock of his life.

Artie Dam is 57 years old. He's a high school history teacher living in Massachusetts. He loves his job, his wife Evie, and his son Rob. Outwardly, everything seems quite good for Artie. However, internally, he is struggling. He's become preoccupied with thoughts of suicide. Only after a near-drowning incident does he realizes his strong desire to live. But the discovery of a shocking family secret leads Artie, once again, to evaluating his life and his relationships. 

Elizabeth Strout writes books that make you feel. She is a master at creating great characters. Both Olive Kitteridge and Lucy Barton felt like old friends. With The Things We Never Say, add Artie Dam to the list. The former Massachusetts "Teacher of the Year" is caring, flawed, and vulnerable. You'll find yourself genuinely caring about him. Switching between reading and listening to the audio version, I was impressed by Robert Petkoff's performance, which greatly enhanced the experience. It's another moving read by Strout.

Rated 4.25 out of 5 stars.

Literary Fiction.

Publication Date: May 5, 2026.

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