Literary Fiction · Free kit
The Things We Never Say
Artie Dam is fifty-seven, a well-liked high school history teacher in a coastal Massachusetts town in 2024, the man who sails on weekends and still cannot quite believe he lives in his wife's inherited house by the water. Inside, he feels cut off from Evie, now a family therapist, and from their son Rob, withdrawn since a crash ten years earlier. Elizabeth Strout's Booker Prize 2026 shortlisted novel is spare, political, and quietly devastating: a portrait of loneliness, the things a family will not name, and what happens when a long-buried secret finally reaches the person it was kept from.
“I wonder why people never say anything real.”
Complete free book club kit
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Plan your meeting
BookClubee take
Vibe check
Our editorial snapshot of how this book tends to land at club night — not a crowd average.
Craft
- Overall4
- Plot3
- Characters5
- World building4
- Ending3
How it feels
- Spice—
- Tears4
- Surprises3
- Humor2
- Comfort1
What’s in this kit
Everything below is free — open a section, use it at your meeting, or print what you need. No account required.
- Discussion Questions20 book-specific questions labeled warm-up, debate, and deep dive.
- Icebreakers15 fast warm-ups about the reader — not the plot.
- CharactersProfiles, dynamics map, and superlative awards.
- Trivia20 interactive questions from easy to hard.
- Would You Rather25 impossible choices inspired by the book.
- BingoPrintable book-club bingo for reading and live discussion.
- This or That40 rapid-fire choices plus a 60-second speed round.
- Speed DebatesPick a side and defend it against the clock.
- Hosting GuideShopping list, timeline, surprise touch, and wrap-up.
- PrintablesStickers, quote cards, invites, and review sheets.
How to run your meeting
1. Warm up
Start with icebreakers or a quick trivia round.
2. Discuss
Use the labeled discussion questions — warm-up to deep dive.
3. Play & wrap
Would You Rather, bingo, or a speed debate — then rate the book.
Frequently asked questions
Is this The Things We Never Say book club kit free?+
Yes. Everything on this page is free — discussion questions, games, trivia, and hosting tips. No account required.
Does this kit spoil The Things We Never Say? Any content notes?+
Yes. Discussion questions, trivia, superlatives, bingo, and debates assume you know the dinghy accident, Rob's confession, the letter about Evie, and how the book ends. Finish the novel first. Icebreakers are about the reader, not the plot. The book includes suicidal thoughts, a fatal car crash, infidelity, bullying, mental illness, and a later death; give your group a content note, and skip or pause if anyone needs to. If you or someone in the room is struggling, that conversation belongs to care, not to a scorecard.
What's in the Premium Kit?+
The Premium Kit on Etsy is the full printable pack: discussion guide, character cards, trivia, bingo, games, hosting checklist, and review sheets — ready to print for your meeting.
How long should our The Things We Never Say book club meeting run?+
Plan about 75 minutes. This one is quiet and heavy: 10 minutes of icebreakers, 10 minutes of trivia, 30 minutes of discussion, 15 minutes of a game or speed debate, then wrap-up. Leave room for silence. Use the Hosting Guide for a minute-by-minute outline.
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