Book description
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • “What truly makes Strout exceptional . . . is the perfect balance she achieves between the tides of story and depths of feeling.”—Chicago Tribune
This edition includes an original essay by Elizabeth Strout about the origins of The Burgess Boys.
NAMED ONE OF THE BEST…
Why read it?
1 author picked The Burgess Boys as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?
Some writers (and readers) prefer the sledgehammer to the scalpel.
I prefer the scalpel and find that Elizabeth Strout consistently wields her blade with skill, subtlety, and soul. As we travel with brothers Jim and Bob from NYC back to the small New England town of their childhood, Strout unravels mysteries that will feel familiar to everyone with siblings.
Their mission is to save their nephew – son of their sister Susan – who has been accused of a hate crime. I find realism a key ingredient in Strout’s writing. These characters are flawed, but that is what makes them…
If you love The Burgess Boys...
Shearwater Storm
Charlotte Rose’s quiet life on a remote island is forever changed the day Michael Cordero, injured and bleeding, steers his ketch, Shearwater, into her cove. Charlotte tends to Michael’s wounds, using the skills she’s learned caring for her husband and son, who are away fishing for salmon. As Michael recovers,…
Want books like The Burgess Boys?
Our community of 12,000+ authors has personally recommended 69 books like The Burgess Boys.
Share your top 3 reads of 2025!
And get a beautiful page showing off your 3 favorite reads.
1,340
readers submitted
so far, will you?
📚 If you like The Burgess Boys, you might also like...
Her Daughter
Alice Wilson wants children; her husband, Dan, doesn’t. So Alice "accidentally" gets pregnant, trusting that Dan will eventually go along—and he seems to, at first. But as their marriage falls apart, Alice realizes that, even from the beginning, Dan has cruelly used small criticisms and belittling comments to undermine her…
Astral Travel
Jo Jackson believes she has put behind her difficult childhood with a charismatic but sometimes violent father. One day, however, out of the blue, she is moved to write about him. Immediately she comes unstuck, face to face with things that don't add up, and a growing sense of mystery…
