Elizabeth Strout Recommends 4 Captivating Books—Including a ‘Gorgeous’ Literary Fiction Novel That Ann Patchett Also Praised
Strout shares her favorites by Lily King, Kurt Vonnegut and more!
Key Takeaways
- Elizabeth Strout's novels are beloved for their small-town settings and complex characters.
- Strout recommends 4 books ranging from modern classics to literary romance.
- One of Strout’s picks—a Lily King novel—is also a favorite of Ann Patchett’s.
Elizabeth Strout knows how to paint a scene with words. With beautiful, effortless prose, she makes everyday instances feel extraordinary. Her 2008 Pulitzer-winning novel, Olive Kitteridge is a profound example of this: “Retired now, he still wakes early and remembers how mornings used to be his favorite, as though the world were his secret, tires rumbling softly beneath him and the light emerging through the early fog, the brief sight of the bay off to his right, then the pines, tall and slender, and almost always he rode with the window partly open because he loved the smell of the pines and the heavy salt air, and in the winter he loved the smell of the cold.”
With millions of books sold including Olive, Again, Oh! William and My Name is Lucy Barton, Strout has earned legions of devoted readers and fans—and many of those fans are fellow authors. In fact, her work is often cited as inspiration for acclaimed novelist Ann Patchett. “You know, every single book she publishes, you just think, ‘Oh, well, she can’t possibly do that again,’ Patchett told The Independent about Strout. “And then she comes out with another book and it’s even better.” Strout’s most recent novel, The Things We Never Say, was shortlisted for the 2026 Booker Prize—and it’s Patchett’s favorite Strout book. Well, that is, until Strout publishes her next one!
It’s always fascinating to discover what inspires the writers whose stories we love. After all, even the most gifted storytellers have their own literary influences and favorite reads. So we were curious…What books does Elizabeth Strout recommend again and again? Here, we’ve gathered some of the beloved author’s must-reads from timeless classics to a WWII saga and more. Keep reading to discover the books on her shelf!
‘Slaughterhouse-Five’ by Kurt Vonnegut
Few authors have made an impact on American literature quite like Kurt Vonnegut. His edgy writing, dark wit and unconventional storytelling made him a literary icon. Slaughterhouse-Five is widely regarded as one of the greatest antiwar novels ever written—and it’s a favorite of Strout’s! The story follows Billy Pilgrim, a World War II soldier who becomes “unstuck in time,” reliving the violent horrors of Dresden while traveling through his own past and future. Blending science fiction, satire and autobiography, Vonnegut’s is unforgettable, darkly funny and moving.
What Strout said about Slaughterhouse-Five: “I came to this book later in life,” she told The Week. “I think it is, among other things, the loveliest, most delicate account of post-traumatic stress I’ve ever read — like the water that simply runs from the eyes of Billy Pilgrim.”
What other readers are saying: “Every so often you read a book, a book that takes everything you thought created an excellent novel and tears it to pieces; it then sets it on fire and throws it out the window in a display of pure individual brilliance. That is how I felt when I read this jumbled and absurd, yet fantastic, novel.”
‘Writers & Lovers’ by Lily King
When it comes to literary romance, Lily King’s name always tops all the lists—and for good reason. The American novelist is known for her emotional bestsellers including Euphoria and Heart the Lover. In Writers & Lovers, the story centers on protagonist Casey as she mourns the death of her mother. She’s grappling with grief while trying to finish a novel she’s been working on for six years. As her debt soars and her peers move on to marriage and kids, she’s stuck. Then she meets Silas. He’s kind, charming and smitten with her. But a few weeks later, she meets an older man who is just as complex as he is fascinating. With two futures in front of her, she wrestles with which road to take.
What Strout said about Writers & Lovers: So many authors raved about King’s Writers & Lovers—including Strout and Patchett! Patchett called it “suffused with hopefulness.” Meanwhile, Strout said it was “gorgeous.”
What other readers are saying: “It is rare that I reread a contemporary novel, especially one that I read just five years ago, but after reading King’s new novel, Heart the Lover, I couldn’t resist. This time, it was a deeper, more enveloping experience. I was awed by the way King encapsulated Casey’s experience. I loved it—loved it—to my core.”
‘Another Country’ by James Baldwin
Nominated as one of America’s best-loved novels by PBS’s The Great American Read, James Baldwin’s Another Country is often considered one of the greatest American novels. Described by the New York Times as “brilliantly and fiercely told,” the book is set across Greenwich Village, Harlem and France and explores love, desire and identity. With emotional depth and an unmatched tenderness, Baldwin captures what happens when love and longing collide with the expectations we place on ourselves and each other.
What Strout said about Another Country: “Many years ago, when I first read Baldwin’s 1962 novel about a doomed Greenwich Village jazz drummer, I thought, ‘Wow, I can’t believe it. The narrator is so fierce and strong, and the book pulsates with such honesty. The language—!’”
What other readers are saying: “James Baldwin can WRITE. I mean, this is a 400 page book that breezes by from the way his prose grabs you by the heart and makes it beat to its rhythm, driving you like a bassline across the story in which his characters seem so alive on the page that you begin to wonder if they are your friends as well. The writing moves like jazz.”
‘The Collected Stories’ by William Trevor
Discovering your favorite author’s favorite books is like unearthing a treasure trove. You think, did this one inspire them? Did this one teach them? So when we spotted Irish novelist, playwright and short story writer William Trevor on Strout’s list of favorites, it all made sense. Known for his ability to write a whole world into a short story, this collection focuses on the everyday life of Ireland and its citizens.
Much like Strout’s own novels Olive Kitteridge, Olive, Again and Tell Me Everything, these stories highlight the extraordinary moments in ordinary days. Bringing together tales from seven of Trevor’s previous collections, along with four stories never before published in book form in America, the collection chronicles the daily comforts and struggles of rural Ireland. Rich with themes of family, love and the invisible threads that connect us, it’s easy to see why Strout admires Trevor—and why these two magnificent writers share such a kindred spirit.
What Strout said about The Collected Stories: “The book that I recommend over and over again is The Collected Stories by William Trevor,” Strout told Elle. “They are so comforting and quiet and surprising. I have a copy upstairs and a copy downstairs, so I don’t have to go up and down to read them.”
What other readers are saying: “Somewhere about around 30 years ago, I read the short story ‘In Love with Ariadne’ either in a laundromat, waiting in an airport, or bored above the Arctic Circle in winter, or…something. I think it was in the Atlantic. I, almost immediately, also, fell in love with Ariadne. And with the writing of William Trevor. That short story and many, many others are collected in this book. And any one who has read William Trevor will not need to be told that he is a master of the short story. Certainly one of the best writers ever.”
Conversation
All comments are subject to our Community Guidelines. Woman's World does not endorse the opinions and views shared by our readers in our comment sections. Our comments section is a place where readers can engage in healthy, productive, lively, and respectful discussions. Offensive language, hate speech, personal attacks, and/or defamatory statements are not permitted. Advertising or spam is also prohibited.
