Blending literature and memoir, Ann Patchett, author of State of Wonder, Run, and Bel Canto, examines her deepest commitments—to writing, family, friends, dogs, books, and her husband—creating a resonant portrait of a life in This is the Story of a Happy Marriage.
This Is the Story of a Happy Marriage takes us into the very real world of Ann Patchett’s life. Stretching from her childhood to the present day, from a disastrous early marriage to a later happy one, it covers a multitude of topics, including relationships with family and friends, and charts the hard work and joy of writing, and the unexpected thrill of opening a bookstore.
As she shares stories of the people, places, ideals, and art to which she has remained indelibly committed, Ann Patchett brings into focus the large experiences and small moments that have shaped her as a daughter, wife, and writer.
The author of six novels, including PEN/Faulkner Award winner Bel Canto, Patchett has also written nonfiction. Here she pulls together essays appearing in the Atlantic, Harpers, and more to offer overall perspective on Patchetts life, from a topsy-turvy childhood to the sorrows of a bad first marriage and the joys of a second happy one. A sense of what truly grounds Patchett-her writing, her friends, her husband-emerges.
A Reese Witherspoon Hello Sunshine Book Club Pick
"As the best personal essays often do, Patchett's is a two-way mirror, reflecting both the author and her readers." --New York Times Book Review
In this thoughtful collection of essays, New York Times bestselling author Ann Patchett brings her narrative gifts to bear on her own life, using insight and compassion to turn very personal experiences into stories that will resonate with every reader.
This Is the Story of a Happy Marriage takes us into the very real world of Ann Patchett's life. Stretching from her childhood to the present day, from a disastrous early marriage to a later happy one, it covers a multitude of topics, including relationships with family and friends, and charts the hard work and joy of writing, and the unexpected thrill of opening a bookstore.
An irresistible blend of literature and memoir, this "sparkling collection" (The New Yorker) is a unique examination of the heart, mind, and soul of one of our most revered and gifted writers.