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This Is The Story Of A Happy Marriage (2013)

by Ann Patchett(Favorite Author)

4.04 of 5 Votes: 2

ISBN

0062236679 (ISBN13: 9780062236678)

languge

English

genre

Memoir & Autobiography

publisher

Harper

review 1: I have a love/hate relationship with Ann Patchett's work. She's a gifted writer, but the two novels of hers I've read ( Bel Canto & State of Wonder) I did not much like. Technically well written, evocative descriptions, but silly plot lines and characters that didn't come across as real. A friend of mine recommended this book of essays so I delved in. I enjoyed the book. The essays held my interest and are well crafted. She covers a wide variety of topics from training for the LAPD to marriage to complicated friendships to her dog. The negative I'd give it is that the essays are all pretty much about Ann. By the end of the book, I was a bit weary of Ann, Ann, Ann. She might be a lovely person, but she comes across as rather self centered, which wore on me. My view of the... more book might also have been clouded by the fact that I'm also currently reading Didion's Slouching Toward Bethlehem, which is, well, Didion at her best.I did enjoy the book, though, and would recommend it. Essays are often overlooked, I think, and that is a shame. This one is worth reading.
review 2: Picked up an autographed copy when I visited her bookstore, Parnassus Books, during my August trip to Nashville. I want to move to Nashville just for access to that store. It is amazing.Haven't read any of her fiction, although I've heard Bel Canto is good. Decided to crack this open, as I needed something to read and wanted to get lost in a book, but haven't been able to give anything that amount of time. Short stories are a perfect fit. I like her style and feeling like she is having a conversation with you. Most, if not all, are essays that she had previously published and may/may not have updated. Even though some are 20 years old, they don't feel dated. Even though the essays jump around in time, they still seem cohesive. I enjoy her writing advice as well as her voice. less

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