Dear Bookclub,
An evening at Lori's new princess-cottage thrilled our little group as we tucked in to discuss Elizabeth Strout's "Tell Me Everything". Treated to a delicately delicious supper, the atmosphere emphasized the sweet luxury of bookclub friendship. Armed with elaborate character charts to decipher the Strout community, we got down to business and marveled at the web of relationships and the variety of personalities:
Strout's prolific output had us tied up in recalling what we had and hadn't read of her bookshelf. "Olive Kitteridge" was most widely read and the winner of Strout's 2009 Pulitzer Prize. Here is a list of her other titles:
Publication Order of Olive Kitteridge Books
| Olive Kitteridge | (2008) | |
| Olive, Again | (2019) |
Publication Order of Amgash Books
| My Name Is Lucy Barton | (2016) | |
| Anything Is Possible | (2017) | |
| Oh William! | (2021) | |
| Lucy by the Sea | (2022) | |
| Tell Me Everything | (2024) |
Publication Order of Standalone Novels
| Amy and Isabelle | (1998) | |
| Abide with Me | (2006) | |
| The Burgess Boys | (2013) |
Meanwhile our discussion tried to hone in on the meaning of the book and if in fact, despite many poignant conversations and well-developed characters, the lack of a point was the point indeed. Kate put a smile on our faces reminding us that the last line was Lucy Barton telling Olive Kitteredge that "Love is love." All that for that! I must admit that I enjoyed the romp and have been listening to the other books, gratefully entertained and distracted while I slog through chores.
The following excerpt from a 2017 New Yorker article illuminates Strout's comedic influence:
She had always been interested in standup comedy, and it occurred to her that what’s funny is true. “That’s why people respond, because the unspeakable is getting said,” Strout told me. “So I thought to myself, What would happen if I put myself in that kind of pressure cooker where I was responsible immediately for having people laugh?” She enrolled in a standup class at the New School, which required students to perform at the Comic Strip. She was terrified before going onstage. “My whole routine, I made so much fun of myself for being an uptight white woman from New England,” Strout said. “And the incredible part is it worked.”
Her writing does reflect this therapeutic stand-up style. I hope an understanding of Strout opens your understanding of her work.
Lori's suggestions for an upcoming selection:
"All the Colors of the Dark" Chris Whitaker
"The Wedding People" Alison Espach
"Miss Benson's Beetle" Rachel Joyce *chosen
Up next:
Happy reading,
LK
