Awards
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2013 Powell's Staff Top 5s
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Staff Pick
Known primarily for her novels, Ann Patchett has collected here many of her excellent essays. From acquiring a dog to traveling by RV, Patchett adroitly steers the reader through a smorgasbord of topics. The essay on writing is masterfully written and chock-full of sound advice. Recommended By Mary Jo S., Powells.com
Synopses & Reviews
The
New York Times bestselling author of
State of Wonder,
Run, and
Bel Canto creates a resonant portrait of a life in this collection of writings on love, friendship, work, and art.
"The tricky thing about being a writer, or about being any kind of artist, is that in addition to making art you also have to make a living."
So begins This Is the Story of a Happy Marriage, an examination of the things Ann Patchett is fully committed to — the art and craft of writing, the depths of friendship, an elderly dog, and one spectacular nun. Writing nonfiction, which started off as a means of keeping her insufficiently lucrative fiction afloat, evolved over time to be its own kind of art, the art of telling the truth as opposed to the art of making things up. Bringing her narrative gifts to bear on her own life, Patchett uses insight and compassion to turn very personal experiences into stories that will resonate with every reader.
These essays twine to create both a portrait of life and a philosophy of life. Obstacles that at first appear insurmountable — scaling a six-foot wall in order to join the Los Angeles Police Department, opening an independent bookstore, and sitting down to write a novel — are eventually mastered with quiet tenacity and a sheer force of will. The actual happy marriage, which was the one thing she felt she wasn't capable of, ultimately proves to be a metaphor as well as a fact: Patchett has devoted her life to the people and ideals she loves the most.
An irresistible blend of literature and memoir, This Is the Story of a Happy Marriage is a unique examination of the heart, mind, and soul of one of our most revered and gifted writers.
Synopsis
Blending literature and memoir, Ann Patchett, author ofState of Wonder, Run, andBel Canto, examines her deepest commitments to writing, family, friends, dogs, books, and her husband creating a resonant portrait of a life inThis 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.
"
Synopsis
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.
--Dallas Morning News
Synopsis
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.
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About the Author
Ann Patchett is the author of six novels and three works of nonfiction. She is the winner of the PEN/Faulkner Award, England's Orange Prize, and the Book Sense Book of the Year, and was named one of Time magazine's 100 Most Influential People in the World in 2012. Her work has been translated into more than thirty languages. She is the co-owner of Parnassus Books in Nashville, Tennessee, where she lives with her husband, Karl, and their dog, Sparky.