Readers will likely fall in love with 57-year-old high school history teacher Artie Dam, the hero of The Things We Never Say by Elizabeth Strout (Tell Me Everything; Oh William!), just as readily as his students. Artie keeps his students' letters to him in his mother's jewelry box in the attic. Ten years ago, a tragedy occurred: Artie's son, Rob, was in a car accident that killed his girlfriend. Since the accident, Artie's wife, Evie, seemed less warm; a distance also developed between Artie and Rob, which has grown "more acute" in the past year. Artie feels lonely. He becomes preoccupied with whether human beings have free will, and he considers suicide.
Then one day, Artie slips while stepping onto his boat, falls in the water, and nearly dies in the strong current. A new neighbor, a stranger, saves Artie's life. Suddenly Artie has a new friend and a will to live. Soon after, Rob shares a secret with Artie, which brings them closer. But Artie also finds himself reexamining what he thought he knew in light of what his son confided.
Strout skillfully fashions a web of the interlocking lives in a small Massachusetts coastal town. She explores the roles of class structure, politics, and education, with subtlety and finesse. A gifted teacher, Artie champions each of his students and urges them to fulfill their potential. While Strout anchors the proceedings in the specific, her themes cross eternity in this story of quiet heroes. Her genius is that her words work on readers between the lines. The Things We Never Say poses searching questions, yet ultimately gives readers hope. --Jennifer M. Brown