Wednesday, Sept. 2, 2026--San Antonio
The Things We Never Say by Elizabeth Strout is a great novel which is longlisted for the Booker Prize. (It's the fifth book I have read by her and all of them have been well worth reading.) It's my opinion that in a way, the book is about changes occurring that seem to represent the beginning of the end of civilization as we have known it. But it is told by showcasing a central character, who is a simple but great man--a man who is respected and liked, who is a kind and good person, and who is a high school history teacher--Mr. Dam (called affectionately Damn-Dam by his students). Events taking place mostly in the fall of 2024 (in his personal life, in his classroom, within his family, and within the country) illustrate the changes taking place. Open confrontation, cursing, and name-calling are replacing civil discourse and niceties within society. Dam recognizes this and is puzzled by it. He keeps questioning: Do we really have free will? It's a question that goes two directions: If we do, why do we choose to make negative changes in life? If we don't, could that be why things are changing? But he is also learning that life is hard, that people have secrets, that having certain knowledges can be depressing. And he is learning that everyone he knows is different in ways from what he thinks they are like because of their secrets in their lives. Even Damn-Dam has a few critical secrets in himself. It's a short book that can be read quickly, but one worth reading. I gave the book 5 stars out of 5.
