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:

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Tuesday Intro: The Secret Life of Pronouns

Preface

Stop for a minute and think about your last conversation, e-mail, or text message. You think you said something about dinner plans, your laundry, a strategy for the next sales meeting. And you probably did. But at the same time, you said much, much more. The precise words you used to communicate your message revealed more about you than you can imagine. 

You, a, am, to, I, but, the, for, not... 

Pronouns, articles, prepositions, and a handful of other small, stealthy word reveal parts of your personality, thinking style, emotional state, and connections with others. These words, typically called function words, account for less than one-tenth of 1 percent of your vocabulary but make up almost 60 percent of the words you use. Your brain is not wired to notice them but if you pay close attention, you will start to see their subtle power.

The Secret Life of Pronouns: What Our Words Say About Us
by James W. Pennebaker

This opening strikes me as fascinating and full of possibility. Does that makes me a word nerd? Either way, I stumbled upon this book at the library last week and couldn't resist bringing it home for a close look.

What do you think? Does it make you want to keep reading?

Every Tuesday, Diane at Bibliophile by the Sea posts the opening paragraph (sometime two) of a book she decided to read based on the opening. Feel free to grab the banner and play along.

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A Monday Update

... basically a Sunday Salon Post, but the weekend got away from me.

The scene//  Monday morning. Drinking coffee. Still happy from a wonderful weekend in Rhinebeck with Twin A and Daughter #1.

Reading//  Middlemarch. After 150 pages, I'm finally into the story.

Listening//  Finished Orange is the New Black by Piper Kerman... an eye-opener. Trying to decide whether to start a new book or make Middlemarch a read/listen combo.

Watching//  Basketball. The Syracuse Orangemen are killing me, but have the #2 seed for the ACC Tournament next weekend.

Thank you for all the excellent Netflix series suggestions. They will certainly provide much-needed motivation until I can walk outside again!

In the kitchen//  I found a recipe for easy fish picatta on Pinterest, prepared it using fresh flounder and thought it was amazing - definitely worthy of its own weekend cooking post. I'll make it again this week and try to remember to take a picture.

Planning//  Our next trip to Florida. With another winter storm on the horizon, it can't come soon enough!

Loving//  Time spent with my daughters. I am truly blessed.

How was your weekend?

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The Signature of All Things by Elizabeth Gilbert (audiobook)

The Signature of All Things
by Elizabeth Gilbert
narrated by Juliet Stevenson
Penguin Audio, 2013
21 hours and 44 minutes
source: review copy from publisher

Publisher's summary:
In The Signature of All Things, Elizabeth Gilbert returns to fiction, inserting her inimitable voice into an enthralling story of love, adventure, and discovery. Spanning much of the 18th and 19th centuries, the novel follows the fortunes of the extraordinary Whittaker family as led by the enterprising Henry Whittaker - a poor-born Englishman who makes a great fortune in the South American quinine trade, eventually becoming the richest man in Philadelphia.

Born in 1800, Henry's brilliant daughter, Alma (who inherits both her father's money and his mind), ultimately becomes a botanist of considerable gifts herself. As Alma's research takes her deeper into the mysteries of evolution, she falls in love with a man named Ambrose Pike who makes incomparable paintings of orchids and who draws her in the exact opposite direction - into the realm of the spiritual, the divine, and the magical. Alma is a clear-minded scientist; Ambrose a utopian artist - but what unites this unlikely couple is a desperate need to understand the workings of this world and the mechanisms behind all life.

Exquisitely researched and told at a galloping pace, The Signature of All Things soars across the globe - from London to Peru to Philadelphia to Tahiti to Amsterdam, and beyond. Along the way, the story is peopled with unforgettable characters: missionaries, abolitionists, adventurers, astronomers, sea captains, geniuses, and the quite mad. But most memorable of all, it is the story of Alma Whittaker, who - born in the Age of Enlightenment, but living well into the Industrial Revolution - bears witness to that extraordinary moment in human history when all the old assumptions about science, religion, commerce, and class were exploding into dangerous new ideas. Written in the bold, questing spirit of that singular time, Gilbert's wise, deep, and spellbinding tale is certain to capture the hearts and minds of listeners.

My thoughts: 
If you're like me and found Eat, Pray, Love to be a whiny tale of self-indulgence, do yourself a favor and forget it. Please don't hold that memoir against Elizabeth Gilbert and her return to fiction because, if you do, you'll miss a very good book.

 I was not planning to read The Signature of All Things, and to be honest, the description offered little incentive. It was only after noticing my audio review copy was narrated by Juliet Stevenson, that I decided to give it a try.

Other reviewers have referred to The Signature of All Things as Dickensian in scope and I certainly agree. The novel spans most of the 18th and 19th centuries, much of the world, and offers up a host of characters, themes, and story lines. This sprawling novel tells the story of Alma's Whitaker's life and examines the development of her character from birth through old age. She is a remarkably intelligent, independent woman and it was a pleasure to observe her over her entire lifespan. The book is infused with plenty of science, especially botany and evolution. I did not expect to like this book, but ended up being enthralled.

I'm attributing much of my enjoyment to the audio production - Juliet Stevenson has been a favorite narrator for years. Often when I love listening to a book, it's hard to know whether I would have found it as engaging in print... but for the record, Jackie did.

My ratings
 for the story:

for the performance:

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Top Ten Tuesday: Popular Authors to Read

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly feature hosted by The Broke and the Bookish.  I haven't participated in a few months, but this week's topic had me instantly composing a mental list. Here we go...

POPULAR AUTHORS I'VE NEVER READ

1. Rainbow Rowell
A current blogger favorite, her novel Eleanor & Park is on my wish list.

2. Jo Nesbo
Sandy and Jill introduced me to Nesbo's Harry Hole novels. After reading their rave reviews, I finally snagged a copy of The Redbreast at our library book sale.

3. Simon Von Booy
His novel Everything Beautiful Began After was one of my earliest kindle purchases, but I still haven't read it.

4. Thrity Umrigar
I just know I'm going to love her books and even have two of them on my shelf. What am I waiting for?

5. Liane Moriarty
I think I'll start with The Husband's Secret.

6. John Green
I know.  The Fault in our Stars is on my kindle and it's been there since last fall. I promise to read it soon.

7. Joshilyn Jackson
Surely I'm the last person on earth to read this author. A Grown-Up Kind of Pretty is in my audible library. It's narrated by the author.

8. Fay Weldon
The description of Habits of the House says "From the award-winning novelist and writer of Upstairs Downstairs, the launch of a brilliant new trilogy about what life was really like for masters and servants before the world of Downton Abbey." How can I resist?

9. Paul Auster
Suggestions of where to start are welcome!

10. Georgette Heyer
This prolific author lived from 1902-1974 and has a very loyal band of blogger fans. Will I become part of that group?



Have you read any of these authors? Where should I start?

For more Top Ten Tuesday lists, visit The Broke and the Bookish.

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New to My (Virtual) Shelf

I love reading on my kindle paperwhite. It's perfect for travel, I can use it in bright sunlight, plus I can read in bed without using the book light my husband finds so annoying. Amazon has made it easy and inexpensive to add new titles to my virtual shelf with their Kindle Daily Deals, too. The problem is that without seeing the books on my physical shelf, it's easy to forget about them.

Amanda employed a strategy last month that I thought might work for me, too. In an effort to stay accountable to myself, I'm listing my February kindle purchases here on the blog. They include:

We Are Water by Wally Lamb
I originally borrowed this from library (after being the hold list for months, so I'm still still good with the TBR Dare), but didn't want to lug the nearly 600 page hardcover on a recent plane trip. I ended up paying the regular kindle price. Read, but not yet reviewed.

The Mouse-Proof Kitchen by Saira Shah
This one has been on my wish list since Diane reviewed it last  year, but it will have to wait until after the TBR dare. The last I checked, it was still $2.99.

The American Home Front: 1941-1942 by Alistair Cooke
This daily deal just sounded interesting. I also purchased the audible edition for 99 cents!

Honeymoon in Paris: A Novella by Jojo Moyes
This has a regular price of $2.99. I read it (taking a one day break from the TBR Dare) and wrote a quick review!

The Summer without Men by Siri Hustvedt
I've wanted to read this for a while now. The price is still just $3.99

What's new on your virtual shelf?

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TSS: March, at Last

Good morning and welcome to March! For being such a short month, February sure seemed long. Storm after storm, bone-chilling cold, and here we are... watching it snow again. March has certainly "come in like a lion".

The scene//  A very peaceful Sunday morning, 8 AM. My husband has been in NYC since Thursday, Twin B is still sleeping, and Zelda is napping at my feet. I'm sipping a cup of hot, black coffee from my favorite mug and gazing at the falling snow.

Reading//  There's something comforting about a long classic in the dead of winter. Although the first few chapters were slow, Middlemarch  is picking up now. I think it will be my primary read for the next few weeks.

My one day reprieve from the TBR Triple Dog Dare last Sunday was exactly what the doctor ordered!  A quiet day with a couple of hours on the couch with Honeymoon in Paris by Jojo Moyes (my review) left me ready to take on the world by Monday.

Listening//  I finished The Boys in the Boat (so good!) and then listened to a very quick book, Eat Move Sleep by Tom Rath. This was an impulse purchase thanks to audible's BOGO sale last week. I didn't find a lot of new information, but thought it was a very good motivator.

Yesterday I started Orange is the New Black by Piper Kerman - my other half of the BOGO (buy one, get one) sale - and it's shaping up to be a great listen.

Book Club// We met on Friday to discuss The Boys in the Boat. One member didn't finish because her husband hijacked the book, but everyone else (including the hijacking husband) loved it. The Light Between Oceans by M.L. Stedman was selected for March. I'm pretty happy about that because Les loved it and so did my sister.

Watching// The season finale of Downton Abbey last Sunday had my head spinning. There were so many short scenes from multiple story lines, but no major cliffhanger or catastrophe. That's a good thing. Who could have handled another episode like last year's finale?  This season's final image was truly heartwarming and will sustain me for the entire off season.

I'm searching for a show to watch on Netflix streaming while walking on the treadmill and am considering Foyle's War or Call the Midwife. Any suggestions?

Syracuse University basketball... We're coming into the home stretch, but I won't bore you with the details this week ;-)

Oh, and the Oscars are tonight.

In the kitchen// Today we're having chicken cacciatore in the crock pot. It will be nice to have dinner waiting when we get home from the train station.

And are blueberries tasting especially good lately, or is it just me? I've purchased a record quantity this week. 

Anticipating//  March Madness!

Wondering// if it will ever stop snowing...

Hope you all have a wonderful Sunday!

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