Oh William!
Shortlisted for the Booker Prize 2022
(Author) Elizabeth StroutLucy 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 decades-long partnership. Oh William! is a luminous novel about the myriad mysteries that make up a marriage, about discovering family secrets, late in life, that rearrange everything we think we know about those closest to us, and the way people continue to 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.'
Elizabeth Strout
Elizabeth Strout is an American author known for her profound exploration of human emotions and relationships in her novels. Her most notable works include "Olive Kitteridge," which won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 2009, and "My Name is Lucy Barton," which was shortlisted for the Man Booker Prize in 2016. Strout's writing style is characterized by its spare and unflinching honesty, delving into the complexities of ordinary lives with empathy and insight. She is celebrated for her keen observations of the human condition and her ability to craft intimate and powerful narratives. Strout's impact on the literary genre can be seen in her ability to capture the nuances of everyday life and the inner workings of her characters, making her a master of contemporary American fiction.