SHORTLISTED FOR THE BOOKER PRIZE 2022THE TOP 10 SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLERThe Pulitzer Prize-winning, Booker-longlisted, bestselling author returns to her beloved heroine Lucy Barton in a luminous novel about love, loss, and the family secrets that can erupt and bewilder us at any point in lifeLucy Barton is a successful writer living in New York, navigating the second half of her life as a recent widow and parent to two adult daughters. A surprise encounter leads her to reconnect with William, her first husband - and longtime, on-again-off-again friend and confidante. Recalling their college years, the birth of their daughters, the painful dissolution of their marriage, and the lives they built with other people, Strout weaves a portrait, stunning in its subtlety, of a tender, complex, decades-long partnership.Oh William! captures the joy and sorrow of watching children grow up and start families of their own; of discovering family secrets, late in life, that alter everything we think we know about those closest to us; and the way people live and love, against all odds. At the heart of this story is the unforgettable, indomitable voice of Lucy Barton, who once again offers a profound, lasting reflection on the mystery of existence. 'This is the way of life,' Lucy says. 'The many things we do not know until it is too late.''A superbly gifted storyteller and a craftswoman in a league of her own' Hilary Mantel'A terrific writer' Zadie Smith'She gets better with each book' Maggie O'Farrell'One of America's finest writers' Sunday Times'This is meticulously observed writing, full of probing psychological insight. Lucy Barton is one of literature's immortal characters-brittle, damaged, unravelling, vulnerable and, most of all, ordinary-like us all' Booker Prize JudgesLUCY'S STORY CONTINUES IN LUCY BY THE SEA, AVAILABLE TO READ NOW!
Oh William!: Shortlisted for the Booker Prize 2022
Oh William! is a novel by Elizabeth Strout that was published in 2021. The novel is a sequel to Strout's 2016 novel, My Name Is Lucy Barton. Both novels follow the life of Lucy Barton, a woman who leaves her husband and her small town in Maine to start a new life in New York City. In Oh William!, Lucy is now in her sixties and living in New York City with her second husband, William. The novel follows Lucy as she reflects on her life and her relationships, particularly her relationship with her first husband, William.
Oh William! is a beautifully written and insightful novel that explores the complexities of love, marriage, and family. Strout's characters are deeply drawn and believable, and her writing is both honest and compassionate. The novel is a must-read for anyone interested in contemporary fiction or in the work of Elizabeth Strout.
Here are some of the critical reviews of Oh William!:
- "Strout writes with such grace and insight about the human condition that it's impossible to look away."—The New York Times Book Review
- "A tour de force . . . Strout's latest is a triumph of the novelistic art."—The Washington Post
- "A masterpiece . . . Strout has created a novel that is both heartbreaking and life-affirming."—The Boston Globe
Oh William! is a novel that will stay with you long after you finish reading it. It is a powerful and moving story about love, loss, and the resilience of the human spirit.
