This Is the Story of a Happy Marriage by Ann Patchett Also by this author: The Patron Saint of Liars, Commonwealth
Published by HarperCollins on November5, 2013
Genres/Lists: Essays, Non-Fiction
Pages: 320
Read synopsis on Goodreads
I received this book for free from TLC Book Tours.
Buy the book: Amazon/Audible (this post includes affiliate links)
I’ve been an Ann Patchett fan for years. I loved State of Wonder and adored The Patron Saint of Liars, so when I was given the opportunity to read about Ann Patchett by Ann Patchett, I jumped. And boy, am I glad I did! Confession: I had no idea she started out writing magazine articles. I consider myself to be pretty up-to-snuff when it comes to the writing histories of authors I love, but for some reason I never did much Patchett research. I think this is probably a good thing because it lent an air of mystery to her work.
My favorite essay from the book was The Getaway Car. In it, she discusses how she became a writer and gives advice (like don’t get an MFA because it’s a waste of money) and her self-deprecating process of writing a book. In it, she details the circumstances around writing The Patron Saint of Liars, which is my favorite book by her, and I loved reading the backstory. I think I might actually go back and reread it now that I have some insight into her writing processes.
Voracious readers will love this book. As a writer who is writing about writing (follow all that?), Patchett’s love for all things literary is palpable. I, for one, relished in her descriptions of reading, wanting to be a writer as a child, putting pen to paper, and actually put down the book to write a short, personal essay just because she inspired me.
But enough talking about the book. Run to the library and get your copy NOW!
