Alan Opts Out Courtney Maum (2026) Rampant consumerism is the target of the satire in this fast-paced contemporary novel. The titular Alan is a highly successful East Coast advertising executive. Through an odd turn of events, he comes to see the emptiness of the product-based lifestyle that his family espouses, and he moves into the playhouse in the back yard of his huge house. Meanwhile, Vivian, Alan’s wife, is seeking admittance to an exclusive women’s club, going in the opposite direction from Alan. The couple’s two daughters have their own idiosyncrasies—one has the ability to speak in the languages of animals, for example. The premise here is clever, and the denouement is devastating. For another over-the-top satire of the current American scene, see my review of Yesteryear, here.
The Things We Never Say Elizabeth Strout (2026) The central character in this novel is Artie Dam, a beloved high-school history teacher in his late fifties, who ponders the ages-old question “Do humans have free will?” Although Artie is outwardly cheerful and optimistic, readers come to see his inner sadness, as he faces several challenges in his family life and in his work life. The contemporary setting of this novel doesn’t shy away from the current political climate—one reviewer has called it a “Blue State book” because of Artie’s clear voting preferences. This is not my favorite of Elizabeth Strout’s novels (for a rundown of them, click here), but any writing by Strout is better than about 80% of the books on the bestseller lists. Her character development is especially strong.