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Quick answer: If you loved Our Souls at Night, try Plainsong, Eventide, Benediction, Crossing to Safety, Olive Kitteridge and Major Pettigrew's Last Stand. They are quiet stories of later life, friendship and small-town kindness.
Kent Haruf's last novel is short and gentle. Addie and Louis, two widowed neighbors in Holt, Colorado, begin spending their nights talking in bed, and their town starts to gossip. Readers who love it look for slow, honest stories about love in later life, loneliness and simple dignity. These 15 books fit that mood.
Table of Contents
Quick Picks at a Glance
| Book | Author | Ages | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Plainsong | Kent Haruf | Adult | the author's best-known book |
| Eventide | Kent Haruf | Adult | readers who finished Plainsong |
| Benediction | Kent Haruf | Adult | readers who want more Haruf |
| Crossing to Safety | Wallace Stegner | Adult | readers who like long friendships |
| Olive Kitteridge | Elizabeth Strout | Adult | readers who like small-town stories |
| Major Pettigrew's Last Stand | Helen Simonson | Adult | readers who want a gentle romance |
| Mrs. Palfrey at the Claremont | Elizabeth Taylor | Adult | readers who like classic British fiction |
| The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry | Rachel Joyce | Adult | readers who like journeys |
| A Man Called Ove | Fredrik Backman | Adult | readers who like grumpy heroes |
| Stoner | John Williams | Adult | readers who like quiet lives |
| The Remains of the Day | Kazuo Ishiguro | Adult | readers who like reflection |
| Tom Lake | Ann Patchett | Adult | readers who like family stories |
| Lillian Boxfish Takes a Walk | Kathleen Rooney | Adult | readers who love a wandering story |
| A Gentleman in Moscow | Amor Towles | Adult | readers who like stylish fiction |
| Gilead | Marilynne Robinson | Adult | readers who like reflection |
1. Plainsong by Kent Haruf
Two bachelor farmers, a pregnant teenager, and a teacher with two boys in small-town Colorado. Haruf's most famous novel and a great place to start.
Best for: the author's best-known book.
2. Eventide by Kent Haruf
The sequel to Plainsong returns to the McPheron brothers and the town of Holt. Quiet, moving and close to the earth.
Best for: readers who finished Plainsong.
3. Benediction by Kent Haruf
Dad Lewis, a hardware store owner, is dying, and the town gathers around him. A gentle, tender novel.
Best for: readers who want more Haruf.
4. Crossing to Safety by Wallace Stegner
Two couples share a friendship over decades. A rich, reflective novel about marriage and loyalty.
Best for: readers who like long friendships.
5. Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Strout
Linked stories about a retired schoolteacher in a Maine town. Won the Pulitzer Prize, and Olive is unforgettable.
Best for: readers who like small-town stories.
6. Major Pettigrew's Last Stand by Helen Simonson
A widowed English major unexpectedly falls for a Pakistani shopkeeper. Warm, funny and moving.
Best for: readers who want a gentle romance.
7. Mrs. Palfrey at the Claremont by Elizabeth Taylor
A widow moves to a London hotel for the elderly and befriends a young writer. Subtle, kind and witty.
Best for: readers who like classic British fiction.
8. The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry by Rachel Joyce
Harold sets out to walk to a friend who is dying and keeps walking. Funny, sad and hopeful.
Best for: readers who like journeys.
9. A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman
A grumpy widower is slowly drawn back into life by his new neighbors. Humorous and tender.
Best for: readers who like grumpy heroes.
10. Stoner by John Williams
William Stoner lives a quiet life as a literature professor. A forgotten classic that moves many readers.
Best for: readers who like quiet lives.
11. The Remains of the Day by Kazuo Ishiguro
Stevens, a butler, recalls his years of service and a missed chance at love. Restrained and heartbreaking.
Best for: readers who like reflection.
12. Tom Lake by Ann Patchett
Lara tells her three daughters about her summer as an actress and her romance with a famous actor. Gentle and funny.
Best for: readers who like family stories.
13. Lillian Boxfish Takes a Walk by Kathleen Rooney
Lillian, 85, walks across New York on New Year's Eve 1984 and remembers her life. Charming and brisk.
Best for: readers who love a wandering story.
14. A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles
Count Rostov is sentenced to live in a hotel for life and finds a purpose. Elegant and witty.
Best for: readers who like stylish fiction.
15. Gilead by Marilynne Robinson
An aging pastor writes a letter to his young son about his life. Slow, thoughtful and luminous.
Best for: readers who like reflection.
How to Choose
Begin with Plainsong if you have not read more Haruf. For late-life romance, choose Major Pettigrew's Last Stand or Mrs. Palfrey at the Claremont. For short, funny comfort, read A Man Called Ove or Harold Fry. For slow literary reading, try Gilead, Stoner or The Remains of the Day. These books are best read slowly, with a cup of tea.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is Our Souls at Night a love story?
Yes. It is a story of companionship and love between two older neighbors.
Was Our Souls at Night adapted?
Yes. A 2017 film with Jane Fonda and Robert Redford was based on it.
Do I need to read Haruf's other books first?
No. It is set in the same town but can stand alone.
What themes does it explore?
Loneliness, gossip, aging, family expectations and the courage to ask for company when you need it.
Is it a quick read?
Yes. It is under 200 pages and can be finished in a sitting or two.