by Ann Patchett
First published 2021
Ann Patchett examines the unexpected turns that shape a life through a collection of personal essays. She begins with the simple act of choosing a book to read before bed. That book happened to be Tom Hanks' short story collection, a decision that introduced her to Sooki, Hanks' assistant, and sparked an extraordinary friendship. Patchett uses this central relationship to explore what it means to truly see and be seen by another person. She weaves together reflections on her three fathers, memories of Paris from her youth, her admiration for writers like Kate DiCamillo and Eudora Welty, and even the influence of Charles Schulz's Snoopy. Through these varied experiences, she connects the threads between life and art. Patchett transforms private moments into universal insights about the fleeting nature of existence and the relationships that define us.
Genres: essays, literary-fiction, american-fiction, autobiography, biography-memoir, 21st-century
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: found-family
320 pages · Hardcover · Harper