Olive Kitteridge brought to mind short story collections from Alice Munro and Carol Shields because all three authors share the uncanny ability to create characters so real you could reach out and grab them. The characters in Strout's novel (and there were many) each felt unique and fully realized: clothes, dialogue, gestures, habits...nothing was missed so that I could name a living, breathing equivalent for even the most minor of characters. The detail was such that you could laugh or cry at each of them in equal measure. 
 Though the situations were almost uniformly bleak, there was much humor throughout (Olive's outbursts, the tiny brownies, even crazy Louise). I couldn't stop reading this even when 3/4 of the way through I dreaded a new chapter knowing that it would probably bring a new calamity to one of the town dwellers. I would highly recommend this because it's beautiful, funny, true, and gorgeously written. However, it won't leave you with a feeling of well-being, only - for certain - resolutions to live better and to be kinder to your family and neighbors.