King and Strout
How gratifying to find both Maine authors featured in The Atlantic magazine’s June 2026 issue at the library. I left the library right away to walk a couple blocks to Kepler’s Bookstore, hoping they still had a copy to buy. Of course, another article on how to win on Jeopardy also interested me.
What else did I find within the pages of this magazine? More written from the archives about Stephen King. He was published in May 2011, another fiction story, of course, “Herman Wouk is Still Alive”. The deputy managing editor goes on to share interviews with King about the crazy story and then an interview with the very much alive Herman Wouk in 2012…fascinating page 13 of the magazine. By the way, Wouk lived until 2019 to the almost age of 104! Can you believe history like that?
“Dinah’s Hat” by Stephen King is the short story printed with a full page, eye-catching, huge illustration.
The informative article about Elizabeth Strout has a lovely photo of her sitting on boulders by the sea, eye glasses in hand on her lap Photo lures the reader into a kind of summary of her latest novel, which I may or may not read. What I found interesting was The Burgess Boys and Olive Kitteridge were both dealt paragraphs by writer Adam Begley. Even though he did not mention the two-part television portrayal of Olive, which I found too harsh, Begley points out features from both novels the reader just can not forget.
The summary article, “The Secret of Elizabeth Strout’s Appeal,” also ends with a brief mention of My Name Is Lucy Barton. All was satisfying to me as a reader who appreciates Elizabeth Strout’s take on the Somalis in Maine years ago and Olive on the coast, an observer of daily life in small seaside villages.
Apparently Trump is never named, but implied, in her newest novel about a lonely history teacher, so that may grab some readers. I have read so many novels by Strout, and this wonderful review of her works makes me want to read some that are in between my favorites. Olive Kitteridge I mailed to a loved one and The Burgess Boys memories (2013) has been relevant to our current events of immigrants in 2025‑2026.
Just find a King or Strout book at the library; there are many titles to choose from. Maybe re-read a Stephen King novel or find an Elizabeth Strout not yet read. A Pulitzer for Strout and National Medal of Honors 2013 for King are just two awards among many prizes for both writers.
Something in the Maine fresh air and sparkling waters help creative writing by author after author after author. Sit by the lake and create your own story this summer. Beautiful Belgrade Lakes will nurture your talents.
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