Oh William!: A Novel
Description
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER - BOOKER PRIZE FINALIST - The Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Olive Kitteridge and My Name is Lucy Barton explores the mysteries of marriage and the secrets we keep, as a former couple reckons with where they've come from--and what they've left behind. ONE OF THE TEN BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR: Maureen Corrigan, NPR's Fresh Air"Elizabeth Strout is one of my very favorite writers, so the fact that Oh William! may well be my favorite of her books is a mathematical equation for joy. The depth, complexity, and love contained in these pages is a miraculous achievement."--Ann Patchett, author of The Dutch House I would like to say a few things about my first husband, William.
Lucy Barton is a writer, but her ex-husband, William, remains a hard man to read. William, she confesses, has always been a mystery to me. Another mystery is why the two have remained connected after all these years. They just are. So Lucy is both surprised and not surprised when William asks her to join him on a trip to investigate a recently uncovered family secret--one of those secrets that rearrange everything we think we know about the people closest to us. There are fears and insecurities, simple joys and acts of tenderness, and revelations about affairs and other spouses, parents and their children. On every page of this exquisite novel we learn more about the quiet forces that hold us together--even after we've grown apart. A BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR: The New York Times Book Review, The Washington Post, Time, Vulture, She Reads
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Community Reviews
The story in Oh William! is told in the distinctive voice of Lucy Barton. The narrative is at times disjointed, repetitive, stuttering, and awkward. It is also honest, raw, and deeply relatable.
The book is an exploration of Lucy's relationship with her first husband, William Gerhardt, a seventy-one-year-old scientist (parasitologist) and professor who still goes to the laboratory every day but is keenly conscious of the fact that his younger col...read more
The book is an exploration of Lucy's relationship with her first husband, William Gerhardt, a seventy-one-year-old scientist (parasitologist) and professor who still goes to the laboratory every day but is keenly conscious of the fact that his younger col...read more
Another excellent book about marital and family relationships, with keen insights on human emotions.
I really like Elizabeth Strout’s writing style. It always feels like she is talking directly to you, with the book being one long, enjoyable conversation. This is certainly the case with O’William, although I did not get overly invested in the characters or excited about the plot (I am comparing this to how much I enjoyed the persona of Oliver Kitteridge and the drama of her adventures). I listened to the audiobook which is read well enough by Ki...read more
I love Elizabeth Strout's writing. Her simple language contains many truths. Her characters have flaws, and yet are so warm and human and generous.
A story of identity, relationships, secrets, and so much more shared in a conversational tone as intimate as a chat with a trusted girlfriend.
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