Fiction Pick of the Week: Olive Kitteridge

Olive Kitteridge
Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Strout 2008

Maybe every New England town has an Olive Kitteridge – a woman who works in the community, has a family, knows all about the neighbours (yet they do not know about her) and feels that she must keep up appearances. Henry, Olive’s stoic yet humane husband, is beloved by all, and is the constant source of irritation to Olive. Olive is the one person whose presence unites each of the 13 narratives, and as each of the townspeople grapple with their problems, a lesson is learned and insights gained into the human condition.

Elizabeth Strout is a seasoned writer winning such awards as the Orange Prize – England and more recently the Pulitzer Prize for this novel.