The Things We Never Say by Elizabeth Strout 3

"So blind we humans are---so blind. To each other and to ourselves, moving through life as though through shadows, putting out a hand in the dark and thinking we have touched someone. And maybe we have, as Artie did with Rhonda Lazarre that day. But mostly we travel through life unsighted, grasping only the smallest details of one another's selves, including our own. Thinking all the while that we can see."      -from the novel

The Things We Never Say is a short book, about 200 pages, with long chapters, only seven. I have rated it 3 since I liked it somewhat, didn't love it.

Living in coastal Massachusetts in 2024, Artie Dam is a high school history teacher, a popular one. As a former teacher myself, I found his relationships with students impressive. However, Artie hides a lot of emotions from others---loneliness, discontent, depression, even suicidal thoughts for a time. A potentially life-threatening accident changes him. Then he learns a family secret that throws him for a loop.

The time setting was interesting---presidential election 2024. Artie's reaction was similar to mine. "The election came and went. Half of the country was stunned, the other half jubilant."

Artie and I were in the former half. 

Basically, I found the book well-written but a downer.