Oh William

by Strout, Elizabeth

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On Oct 21, 2021, CloggieDownunder said

Oh William! is the third novel in the Amgash series by best-selling, Pulitzer Prize winning American author, Elizabeth Strout. Not long widowed and still very much grieving her second husband, David Abramson, Lucy Barton relates recent events in the life of her first husband, William Gerhardt.

Two life-changing things that occur in fairly short succession see her travelling with William to Maine to perhaps connect with a relative of whom William was, until recently, unaware. It's a journey of many revelations, both about newly-discovered family, those already departed, each other and themselves.

Lucy's narrative comes across as a little rambling, at first, but it soon becomes clear that all those casual asides, those frequently inserted anecdotes from earlier, are given to illustrate a certain point, a feeling, an opinion.

Musing on what she had with each husband, she tells the reader that even though "At times in our marriage I loathed him. I saw, with a kind of dull disc of dread in my chest, that with his pleasant distance, his mild expressions, he was unavailable", William was her home, that she felt safe in his presence.

She does not talk much about David, noting what they had in common "It is hard to describe what it is like when one is raised in such isolation from the outside world. So we became each other's home. But we— both of us felt this way—we felt that we were perched like birds on a telephone wire in New York City" and concluding that "David was a tremendous comfort to me."

Strout gives her characters palpable emotions, wise words and insightful observations. When Lucy is unable to understand why William married her, a nothing, he tells her: "Lucy, I married you because you were filled with joy. You were just filled with joy. And when I finally realized what you came from—when we went to your house that day to meet your family and tell them we were getting married, Lucy, I almost died at what you came from. I had no idea that was what you came from. And I kept thinking, But how is she what she is? How could she come from this and have so much exuberance? …. There has never been anyone in the world like you. You steal people's hearts, Lucy."

Strout's writing, both in style and subject matter, is reminiscent of Sebastian Barry with shades of Anne Tyler. Strout writes about ordinary people leading what they believe are ordinary lives (although there are definitely some quirky ones doing strange things amongst them) and does it with exquisite yet succinct prose. Another powerful read. This unbiased review is from an uncorrected proof copy provided by NetGalley and Penguin UK Viking.

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Oh William!
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Oh William!

by Elizabeth Strout

Condition
Used - Near Fine
Jacket Condition
Near Fine
Edition
First Edition / First Printing
Published
2021
Binding
Cloth
ISBN 10
0812989430
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1
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Carrollton, Texas, USA
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NZ$141.89

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New York: Random House, 2021. SIGNED. F/NF. Stated First Edition. First printing with number line ending in 1. Signed by Elizabeth Strout on the title page. The book is tight with solid hinges, good tips, and clean unmarred boards. The textblock is clean with no writing, bookplate, or markings and not BCE, ex-library, or remaindered. The dust jacket is unclipped… Read more about this item
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NZ$141.89
Oh William! (SIGNED)
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Oh William! (SIGNED)

by Strout, Elizabeth

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Used - Near fine, 1st edition 1st printing, signed.
Edition
1st
Published
2021
Binding
H/b
ISBN 10
0241508177
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London: Viking, 2021. 1st. h/b. Near fine, 1st edition 1st printing, signed.. 8vo: crown (200 x 140 / 8"" x 5_""). The Pulitzer Prize-winning, Booker-longlisted, bestselling author returns to her beloved heroine Lucy Barton in a luminous novel about love, loss, and the family secrets that can erupt and bewilder us at any point in life. Lucy Barton… Read more about this item
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NZ$266.28
Oh William!: Shortlisted for the Booker Prize 2022 (Amgash, 3)

Oh William!: Shortlisted for the Booker Prize 2022 (Amgash, 3)

by Strout, Elizabeth

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Used - Very Good
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Paperback
ISBN 10
0241992214
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Paperback. Very Good.
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Oh William!: Shortlisted for the Booker Prize 2022 (Amgash, 3)

Oh William!: Shortlisted for the Booker Prize 2022 (Amgash, 3)

by Strout, Elizabeth

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Used - Good
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Paperback
ISBN 10
0241992214
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Oh William! (Signed First Edition)
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Oh William! (Signed First Edition)

by Strout, Elizabeth

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New
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No Jacket
Edition
1st Edition 1st Printing
Published
2021
Binding
Hardcover
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London: Viking, 2021. 1st Edition 1st Printing. Hardcover. New/No Jacket. 1st Printing. Dispatch within one working day. Signed by the author.
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NZ$83.29
Oh William!

Oh William!

by Strout, Elizabeth

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Used - Fine
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Fine
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First Edition
Published
2021
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Hardcover
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Random House, 2021. SIGNED BY AUTHOR on Publishers tipped in page. First Edition/First Printing. Fine condition, brodart protected. Ships in a box.. Signed by Author. First Edition. Hard Cover. Fine/Fine.
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Oh William!

Oh William!

by Elizabeth Strout

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Used - Very Good
Published
2021
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Hardcover
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Viking; Penguin Press, 2021. Hardcover. Very Good. 2021. First Edition. 240 pages. No dust jacket. Signed by the author. Paper covered boards with blue cloth to spine. Flatsigned by the author to front endpaper. Pages are bright and clear with no visible markings. Binding throughout remains firm. Boards have light edge wear with minor corner bumping. Mild crushing… Read more about this item
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Oh William!

Oh William!

by Strout, Elizabeth

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Used - Very Good
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Fine
Edition
First Edition
Published
2021
Binding
Hardcover
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Random House, 2021. SIGNED BY AUTHOR on Publishers tipped in page. First Edition/First Printing. Very Good condition with push to spine ends, brodart protected. Ships in a box.. Signed by Author. First Edition. Hard Cover. Very Good/Fine.
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NZ$76.01
Oh William!

Oh William!

by Strout, Elizabeth

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Used - Near Fine
Jacket Condition
Fine
Edition
First Edition
Published
2021
Binding
Hardcover
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Random House, 2021. SIGNED BY AUTHOR on Publishers tipped in page. First Edition/First Printing, near fine condition with push to bottom spine end, brodart protected. Ships in a box.. Signed by Author. First Edition. Hard Cover. Near Fine/Fine.
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NZ$118.24
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Oh William!: A Novel ~ SIGNED FIRST/FIRST

by Strout, Elizabeth

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New
Jacket Condition
New
Edition
First Hardcover Signed
Published
2021
Binding
Hardcover
ISBN 10
0812989430
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FIRST EDITION, first printing. Full number line present. Brand new, never read. Personally signed by Ms. Strout to a specially bound Publisher's page. Not a bookplate. Dust jacket hand covered in protective archival grade Mylar for many worry free years of reading/collecting! Photos available upon request. NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • Pulitzer Prize winner Elizabeth Strout explores the mysteries of marriage… Read more about this item
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NZ$109.80
Oh William!: Shortlisted for the Booker Prize 2022

Oh William!: Shortlisted for the Booker Prize 2022

by Strout, Elizabeth

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Used - Acceptable
Published
2022
Binding
Paperback
ISBN 10
0241992214
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Penguin Group, 2022. Paperback. Acceptable. Readable copy. Pages may have considerable notes/highlighting. ~ ThriftBooks: Read More, Spend Less.Dust jacket quality is not guaranteed.
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NZ$10.29
Oh William!: Shortlisted for the Booker Prize 2022

Oh William!: Shortlisted for the Booker Prize 2022

by Strout, Elizabeth

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Used - Good
Published
2022
Binding
Paperback
ISBN 10
0241992214
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Penguin Group, 2022. Paperback. Good. Pages can have notes/highlighting. Spine may show signs of wear. ~ ThriftBooks: Read More, Spend Less.Dust jacket quality is not guaranteed.
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NZ$10.34
Oh William!: Longlisted for the Booker Prize 2022 (Amgash, 3)

Oh William!: Longlisted for the Booker Prize 2022 (Amgash, 3)

by Strout, Elizabeth

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Used - Very Good
Binding
Hardback
ISBN 10
0241508177
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Oh William!

by Strout, Elizabeth

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As New
Jacket Condition
As New
Edition
1st Edition
Published
2001
Binding
Hardcover
ISBN 10
0812989430
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New York: Random House, 2001 First Edition/First Printing. Hardcover in unclipped dustjacket. In clear protective book cover. 240 pages. Pulitzer Prize winner Elizabeth Strout explores the mysteries of marriage and the secrets we keep, as a former couple reckons with where they've come from - and what they left behind. Hand signed in ink on the title page by the… Read more about this item
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NZ$211.15
Oh William!

Oh William!

by Strout, Elizabeth

Condition
Used - Very Good
Jacket Condition
Fine
Edition
First Edition
Published
2021
Binding
Hardcover
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Grottoes, Virginia, USA
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Random House, 2021. SIGNED BY AUTHOR on Publishers tipped in page. First Edition/First Printing. Very Good condition with push to spine ends, brodart protected. Ships in a box.. Signed by Author. First Edition. Hard Cover. Very Good/Fine.
Item Price
NZ$76.01
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Oh William! : a Novel ~ SIGNED

by Strout, Elizabeth

Condition
New
Jacket Condition
New
Edition
First hardcover signed
Published
2021
Binding
Hardcover
ISBN 10
0812989430
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First edition. Hard cover. Random House (2021) New in new dust jacket. Signed by author. SIGNED FIRST EDITION FIRST PRINTING Hardcover: new. Dust jacket: new. Signed by the author to publisher's bound in page. First edition, first printing, full number line. Dust jacket is wrapped in protective archival grade mylar. Photos available upon request.
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NZ$126.69
Oh William!

Oh William!

by Elizabeth Strout

Condition
Used - Very Good
Published
2021
Binding
Hardcover
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Viking, 2021. Hardcover. Very Good. 2021. Exclusive signed edition. 237 pages. No dust jacket. Signed by the author. Pictorial cloth covered boards. Flat signed by author at front. Pages remain bright and clean. Binding remains firm. Boards have light shelf wear with minor corner bumping and crushing to spine ends. Some slight marks and staining to rear.
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NZ$28.18
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Oh William!: A Novel

by Strout, Elizabeth

Condition
Used - Very Good
Edition
First Edition
Published
2021-10-18
Binding
Hardcover
ISBN 10
0812989430
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Random House, 2021-10-18. First Edition. Hardcover. Very Good. 5x1x8. First Printing. Hardcover and dust jacket. Good binding and cover. Shelf wear. Corner bumped. Clean, unmarked pages.
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NZ$24.83
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Oh William!: A Novel

by Elizabeth Strout

Condition
Used - Fine
Jacket Condition
Fine
Edition
First Printing.
Published
2021
ISBN 10
0812989430
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First Printing (complete number line). Hardcover; fine and clean condition in a fine and unclipped dust jacket.
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NZ$20.19
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Oh William!: Longlisted for the Booker Prize 2022

by Strout, Elizabeth

Condition
Used - Very Good
Published
2022-05-05
Binding
Paperback
ISBN 10
0241992214
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Penguin, 2022-05-05. Paperback. Very Good. 2.7979 in x 19.4852 in x 12.7903 in.
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NZ$8.09