In Olive, Again, we revisit the multifaceted Olive Kitteridge as she navigates the ups and downs of growing older and the changes that the passage of time brings.Īnd things have certainly changed in the small town of Crosby. Still, to get the most out of the series, it’s best to read them in the order they were published, listed below. The books in the Olive Kitteridge series can be read as standalone. The Olive Kitteridge Books in Reading and Publication Order Olive is an ordinary woman with an extraordinary story to tell, and it’s guaranteed to make readers laugh and cry in equal measure. That whole is the fascinating, complex, and unforgettable Olive Kitteridge. The first installment in Strout’s two-part Olive Kitteridge series earned the author the coveted Pulitzer Prize, and the novel was later turned into an Emmy Award-winning TV show produced by HBO.Įach book is a collection of narratives that form a whole. So in this post, I’ll list all of Strout’s books in reading and publication order, along with a summary of each one. Amy & Isabelle is recommended for fans of Elizabeth Strout and anyone who enjoys novels which portray a slice of life.Elizabeth Strout has written nine novels to date, and each of them has become a critically acclaimed bestseller.īut knowing where to begin with this legendary author’s work isn’t easy. While there are some dramatic scenes in Amy & Isabelle, its primary appeal lies in the realistic depiction of everyday life which helps readers relate to the storylines.

Strout skilfully adds poignancy to Isabelle's reflections by gradually revealing Isabelle's back story and the circumstances which brought Amy and her to Shirley Falls. Understandably, Amy's problems cause Isabelle to review her own empty and friendless existence which will become even lonelier when her daughter moves out to make her own way in life. Readers know early on that something has happened between Amy and one of her temporary teachers, Mr Robertson, but the exact details are only revealed through a series of flashbacks interspersed between the current storyline. The novel is set during a stiflingly hot summer when Amy is working during the school holidays in the office of a mill where her mother has been promoted to a supervisory role.

When we meet Amy and her mother, Isabelle, they are living in Shirley Falls, New England, at a time when people still frowned at single mothers but were coming to terms with more enlightened approaches to other socialissues. Elizbeth's Strout had already honed her expertise at portraying small-town life in America by the time her first novel Amy & Isabelle was published.

Amy and isabelle by elizabeth strout