This is the Story of a Happy Marriage by Ann Patchett

This is the Story of a Happy Marriage
by Ann Patchett
narrated by Ann Patchett
Harper Audio, 2013
11 hours and 35 minutes
source: purchased

Publisher's summary:
Blending literature and memoir, Ann Patchett, author of State of Wonder and Bel Canto examines her deepest commitments: to writing, family, friends, dogs, books, and her husband in This is the Story of a Happy Marriage. Together, these essays, previously published in The Atlantic, Harper, Vogue, and The Washington Post, form a resonant portrait of a life lived with loyalty and with love.

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.

My thoughts:

As much as I've enjoyed reading Ann Patchett's novels over the years, I'm beginning to think nonfiction is her true calling. This is The Story of a Happy Marriage, her latest book, is a collection of essays. Most have been previously published and I'd even read a few, yet they seemed more powerful when collected.

From unhappy childhood Christmas memories to the obligatory advice for would-be writers, the book also includes Patchett's essays about opening an independent bookstore in Nashville and her controversial convocation address delivered at Clemson University. The piece about her grandmother's death had me literally sobbing on an early morning beach walk. {Thank God for sunglasses!} The same thing happened as she said goodbye to her beloved dog, Rose, a few essays later. Patchett also shares the story of her brief, disastrous first marriage, and recounts how her second marriage, the happy one, came to be.

The reader begins to know and understand Patchett through her essays, and listening to the author read her own work imparts an even greater sense of intimacy. Her voice is very pleasant, too. If you listen to audiobooks, I highly recommend choosing the audio version here.

All in all, this collection is a perfect blend of the writing life and life experiences. The essays are thought-provoking, interesting, and moving, and I would be hard-pressed to select a favorite. Patchett's Truth and Beauty  was a nonfiction favorite back in 2005 and I'm sure This is the Story of a Happy Marriage will be on my list this year.

My rating: