These Precious Days: Essays
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- Author：Ann Patchett
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Summary
The beloved New York Times bestselling author reflects on home， family， friendships and writing in this deeply personal collection of essays。
“Any story that starts will also end。” As a writer， Ann Patchett knows what the outcome of her fiction will be。 Life， however， often takes turns we do not see coming。 Patchett ponders this truth in these wise essays that afford a fresh and intimate look into her mind and heart。
At the center of These Precious Days is the title essay， a suprising and moving meditation on an unexpected friendship that explores “what it means to be seen， to find someone with whom you can be your best and most complete self。” When Patchett chose an early galley of actor and producer Tom Hanks’ short story collection to read one night before bed， she had no idea that this single choice would be life changing。 It would introduce her to a remarkable woman—Tom’s brilliant assistant Sooki—with whom she would form a profound bond that held monumental consequences for them both。
A literary alchemist， Patchett plumbs the depths of her experiences to create gold: engaging and moving pieces that are both self-portrait and landscape， each vibrant with emotion and rich in insight。 Turning her writer’s eye on her own experiences， she transforms the private into the universal， providing us all a way to look at our own worlds anew， and reminds how fleeting and enigmatic life can be。
From the enchantments of Kate di Camilo’s children’s books to youthful memories of Paris; the cherished life gifts given by her three fathers to the unexpected influence of Charles Schultz’s Snoopy; the expansive vision of Eudora Welty to the importance of knitting， Patchett connects life and art as she illuminates what matters most。 Infused with the author’s grace， wit， and warmth， the pieces in These Precious Days resonate deep in the soul， leaving an indelible mark—and demonstrate why Ann Patchett is one of the most celebrated writers of our time。
“Any story that starts will also end。” As a writer， Ann Patchett knows what the outcome of her fiction will be。 Life， however， often takes turns we do not see coming。 Patchett ponders this truth in these wise essays that afford a fresh and intimate look into her mind and heart。
At the center of These Precious Days is the title essay， a suprising and moving meditation on an unexpected friendship that explores “what it means to be seen， to find someone with whom you can be your best and most complete self。” When Patchett chose an early galley of actor and producer Tom Hanks’ short story collection to read one night before bed， she had no idea that this single choice would be life changing。 It would introduce her to a remarkable woman—Tom’s brilliant assistant Sooki—with whom she would form a profound bond that held monumental consequences for them both。
A literary alchemist， Patchett plumbs the depths of her experiences to create gold: engaging and moving pieces that are both self-portrait and landscape， each vibrant with emotion and rich in insight。 Turning her writer’s eye on her own experiences， she transforms the private into the universal， providing us all a way to look at our own worlds anew， and reminds how fleeting and enigmatic life can be。
From the enchantments of Kate di Camilo’s children’s books to youthful memories of Paris; the cherished life gifts given by her three fathers to the unexpected influence of Charles Schultz’s Snoopy; the expansive vision of Eudora Welty to the importance of knitting， Patchett connects life and art as she illuminates what matters most。 Infused with the author’s grace， wit， and warmth， the pieces in These Precious Days resonate deep in the soul， leaving an indelible mark—and demonstrate why Ann Patchett is one of the most celebrated writers of our time。
Reviews
Libriar
，
I loved Patchett's collection of essays "This is the Story of a Happy Marriage" but her new collection of essays surpasses that collection。 Reading her essays is like hanging out with a friend who is a wonderful storyteller。 The title essay is amazing， takes place during the pandemic， and completely pulled me in。 The essay about her father's death really hit home for me as I experienced a similar feeling of joy in my mother's death after watching her deteriorate for several years。 ARC courtesy o I loved Patchett's collection of essays "This is the Story of a Happy Marriage" but her new collection of essays surpasses that collection。 Reading her essays is like hanging out with a friend who is a wonderful storyteller。 The title essay is amazing， takes place during the pandemic， and completely pulled me in。 The essay about her father's death really hit home for me as I experienced a similar feeling of joy in my mother's death after watching her deteriorate for several years。 ARC courtesy of NetGalley。 。。。more
Tashan
，
These essays truly inspired me in so many ways。 I absolutely loved every single one and they made me feel such a wide range of emotions and to reevaluate myself: as a person， mother， friend， daughter and dreamer。 There were so many that had me smiling wryly， laughing loudly， and sobbing openly。 I just cannot praise Ann Patchet enough for her incredible writing and sharing this treasure with the world
Natalia Weissfeld
，
This collection of essays previously published in different papers and magazines， by the super talented Ann Patchett， is one of the most enjoyable nonfictional books I've read。 Her writing is flawless and so beautiful。 She writes about many things but mainly about her life as a daughter， a friend， a wife， and of course， as a writer。 I feel that， through these essays， I had the opportunity to meet not only an extremely talented person （I already knew that） but also an extremely sensitive and gene This collection of essays previously published in different papers and magazines， by the super talented Ann Patchett， is one of the most enjoyable nonfictional books I've read。 Her writing is flawless and so beautiful。 She writes about many things but mainly about her life as a daughter， a friend， a wife， and of course， as a writer。 I feel that， through these essays， I had the opportunity to meet not only an extremely talented person （I already knew that） but also an extremely sensitive and generous human being。 I particularly enjoy it when she writes about her childhood and youth。 My favorites were Three Fathers about her dad and stepdads and their roles in her life; To the Doghouse， on how Snoopy （！） inspired her to become a writer; A Talk to the Association of Graduate School Deans in the Humanities about her years as a grad school student in Iowa; Cover Stories， on the process behind the covers of her books and These Precious Days， in which she takes good care of a dying friend during the lockdown and reflects about friendship， life， art， and the deep bond that connects these two women who became inseparable friends late in life。 Every essay is so heartfelt that it can be read like a memoir。 。。。more
Marlene
，
Ann Patchett has long been one of my favorite fiction authors。 After reading this collection of her previously published essays she's one of my favorite people。The collection is broad in scope covering her complicated family， childhood， growth as a writer and people she's met along the journey。 Her love of family shines in her essay about her three fathers。 And what a marvelous friend she was to Sookie - giving her a home and support through her cancer treatment。 All the essays have appeared in Ann Patchett has long been one of my favorite fiction authors。 After reading this collection of her previously published essays she's one of my favorite people。The collection is broad in scope covering her complicated family， childhood， growth as a writer and people she's met along the journey。 Her love of family shines in her essay about her three fathers。 And what a marvelous friend she was to Sookie - giving her a home and support through her cancer treatment。 All the essays have appeared in publications over the years and I still have a yellowed copy of "Finding Joy In My Father's Death。"There are lighthearted insights too into the influence of Snoopy， knitting and the value of children's books。The essays vary in length and this is a book you can pick up， open to any essay and be assured that you are in the company of a friend who has decided to share herself with you。 。。。more
Suzanne
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THESE PRECIOUS DAYS is a new collection of short stories/essays by author Ann Patchett that feel like a visit from a good friend， one that is having grand adventures with deep thoughts and periodically surfaces to share them with you。 Patchett is so good at creating a sense of intimacy and caring with her readers， as she takes them on journeys through her childhood or more recent past。 One can’t help but feel special for having read her stories; it’s her gift， really， this ability to single out THESE PRECIOUS DAYS is a new collection of short stories/essays by author Ann Patchett that feel like a visit from a good friend， one that is having grand adventures with deep thoughts and periodically surfaces to share them with you。 Patchett is so good at creating a sense of intimacy and caring with her readers， as she takes them on journeys through her childhood or more recent past。 One can’t help but feel special for having read her stories; it’s her gift， really， this ability to single out her readers for this sense of shared experience。 The tales themselves range in interest but all are enjoyable and moving。 This is a really good collection but best for those readers who have already read a book or two of her work， because she references being an author so often。 I received my copy from the publisher through NetGalley。 。。。more
Caroline Giblin
，
Ann Patchett’s “These Precious Days” took my breath away。 My first of hers and wow it was amazing。 Definitely going to get my hands on her other books。 I love essay collections but this one was my favorite I’ve read。 The main essay， These Precious Days， focuses on Sooki， her battle with cancer and the struggle of the pandemic。 Along with that beautiful story of unexpected friendship the book is filled with many other gems。
Jeremy Chou
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incredible long form essay published in Harper’s that highlights how a seemingly ordinary story about a woman can turn heartfelt and profound through simple acts of kindness。 and， how while there may be ordinary stories out there， there are simply no ordinary people。
Paromjit
，
This extensive collection of essays are essentially a non-linear memoir， the life and times of Ann Patchett， who generously opens up about herself， her blended family， friendships， other writers， her marriage to Karl， how she gets the kernals of ideas for her novels， the writing process， and her experience of the publishing industry。 To my surprise， when I had finished reading this， I found I had made copious notes， most of which I will not be using for this review， but they do indicate just how This extensive collection of essays are essentially a non-linear memoir， the life and times of Ann Patchett， who generously opens up about herself， her blended family， friendships， other writers， her marriage to Karl， how she gets the kernals of ideas for her novels， the writing process， and her experience of the publishing industry。 To my surprise， when I had finished reading this， I found I had made copious notes， most of which I will not be using for this review， but they do indicate just how much reading this meant to me and the high regard I have for the author。 Ann， a vegetarian who does yoga， writes tenderly， with compassion， and humanity about the unexpected turns that life can take， the joy， love， grief， the challenges， and the unavoidable presence of death， the latter hits her hard at the portrait gallery of The American Academy of the Arts and Letters， a living reminder that one day she too will join the ranks of dead writers。There is a lovely photograph taken at the time of her sister Heather's wedding where Ann managed to persuade all her 3 fathers to come together for her， all of whom loved her dearly in their different ways。 As a Catholic， there's the long lasting influence of Sister Nena and the unforgettable impact of Father Charlie Strobel and his incredible work with the homeless。 The lesson of learning how to discard so much of what is accumulated in our homes goes hand in hand with the joy of those who become recipients of many of those unwanted items。 Patchett has always known that she has never wanted children， writing comes first for her， this is something many in society have never understood or accepted that she knows her own mind on this subject， although there is the frustration she felt at the obstacles placed in her way when she wished to adopt Stevie and his brother， a frustration that was channelled into her novel 'Run'。 The title essay explains how Sookie Raphael， assistant to Tom Hanks， came to stay with Ann and Karl whilst part of a clinical pancreatic cancer trial in Nashville。 It documents how a tentative friendship developed into so much more， particularly with the pandemic and lockdown。 Sookie has a beautiful spirit， spending a lot of time painting， a talent she has long neglected in her life， doing kundalini yoga with Ann， an Ann that buzzes with the spirit of adventure when both of them take Psilocybin， only to find herself trapped with unnerving and harrowing hallucinations of death。 These essays， on life， love， death， friends， family and more， are a wonderful collection written in a style and with the intimacy of someone we know well， this is the extraordinary wonder and charm of Ann Patchett。 I think fans of the author， and even those readers who have yet to become acquainted with her novels will love this too。 Highly recommended。 Many thanks to the publisher for an ARC。 。。。more
Laura
，
Ann Patchett is a wonderful novelist， but in my opinion， her non-fiction is even better。 I adored her memoir Truth and Beauty and her previous essay collection， This is the Story of a Happy Marriage， so I was keen to get my hands on her new collection of essays， These Precious Days。 All I can say is， Patchett really has a gift; she manages to make the most trivial essays about her life， things that would seem self-indulgent in the hands of most other writers， somehow work。 Knitting， decluttering Ann Patchett is a wonderful novelist， but in my opinion， her non-fiction is even better。 I adored her memoir Truth and Beauty and her previous essay collection， This is the Story of a Happy Marriage， so I was keen to get my hands on her new collection of essays， These Precious Days。 All I can say is， Patchett really has a gift; she manages to make the most trivial essays about her life， things that would seem self-indulgent in the hands of most other writers， somehow work。 Knitting， decluttering， cooking Thanksgiving dinner for the first time for a group of stranded college students， not getting a tattoo in Paris; these snippets of prose are all easy and fun to read。 I preferred the balance of pieces in This is the Story of A Happy Marriage， which featured fewer， longer pieces of work， as it’s in long-form essays that I think Patchett really shines。Fortunately， there are some of those longer pieces here as well。 I think most readers will find the title essay， ‘These Precious Days’， about Patchett’s almost accidental friendship with artist Sooki Raphael， to be the stand-out， and it does stand out; it’s beautiful and moving and actually helps me make sense of what people mean when they say writing is ‘luminous’。 It’s a comforting beacon of an essay about human goodness， life and death。 But there were other stand-outs for me as well。 I loved Patchett’s wry， thoughtful reflections on choosing not to have children in ‘There Are No Children Here’， and， weirdly， her homage to the children’s writer Kate DiCamillo， ‘Reading Kate DiCamillo’， even though I haven’t read anything by DiCamillo myself and am not sure I intend to。 ‘Flight Plan’， which is mostly about her husband Karl’s love of flying planes， demonstrates Patchett’s ability to weave all sorts of disparate material together into a coherent emotional whole， something many essayists attempt but few achieve。 There are fewer big hitters here than in This is the Story of a Happy Marriage， and overall， I think it’s a slighter collection。 But it’s still so worth reading。 4。5 stars。I received a free proof copy of this collection from the publisher for review。 。。。more
Tina
，
THESE PRECIOUS DAYS: Essays by Ann Patchett is a great non fiction book！ This was my first read by her and it was really interesting to learn so much about her。 I enjoyed all the essays and my fave was Cover Stories which reveals the behind the scenes decision making process of choosing all of her book covers。 I loved to learn about the meaning of the cover artwork for this book painted by Sooki Raphael。 In the essay These Precious Days Ann shared her profound friendship with Sooki and it was ni THESE PRECIOUS DAYS: Essays by Ann Patchett is a great non fiction book！ This was my first read by her and it was really interesting to learn so much about her。 I enjoyed all the essays and my fave was Cover Stories which reveals the behind the scenes decision making process of choosing all of her book covers。 I loved to learn about the meaning of the cover artwork for this book painted by Sooki Raphael。 In the essay These Precious Days Ann shared her profound friendship with Sooki and it was nice to hear about all those precious days they had together。 I love a book that inspires me to keep reading and this one did that！ I’m now waiting for my library hold to come in for her novel The Dutch House。 I’m excited to read more by this author！。Thank you to Harper Collins Canada for my uncorrected proof！ 。。。more
Sylvia
，
Ann Patchett is a fantastic writer。 I think I could enjoy reading her grocery list！ She’s bright， sensitive， witty， and I think， based on her essays， that she’s a wonderful human being。 Loved this collection！
Robin
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Loved every word of this wonderful collection of essays。 More to come。Thanks to the publisher for the advance reading copy。
Nancy
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I am a long-time Ann Patchett fan， from her writing to her bookstore， her instrumental role in the Southern Festival of Books， and in general how she chooses to live her life with no apologies concerning what she loves and who she is。 With that introduction， no one should be surprised that I jumped at the chance to read her new essay collection These Precious Days。 This essay collection treads new ground， in particular， giving the reader insight into how Ann spent her time during the pandemic。 T I am a long-time Ann Patchett fan， from her writing to her bookstore， her instrumental role in the Southern Festival of Books， and in general how she chooses to live her life with no apologies concerning what she loves and who she is。 With that introduction， no one should be surprised that I jumped at the chance to read her new essay collection These Precious Days。 This essay collection treads new ground， in particular， giving the reader insight into how Ann spent her time during the pandemic。 This is the first pandemic-centered writing I have encountered and was amazed at the others-focused way Ann spent the months of lockdown due to the pandemic。 But this collection is not just about the pandemic。 She also delves into her relationship with the three men who married her mother as well as her courtship and marriage to Karl。 I appreciate Ann's allowing us a glimpse into her thoughts and into her life。 I highly recommend this book。 。。。more
Lachlan Finlayson
，
I am grateful to NetGalley for providing an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review。 “These Precious Days” is a collection of essays by the well known writer， member of the American Academy of Arts & Letters and bookstore co-owner Ann Patchett。 They are all personal recollections of people， events and experiences that have made her the writer she is today。 The essays are set California， where Ms Patchett grew up， Nashville and the surrounding areas where she later moved to and I am grateful to NetGalley for providing an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review。 “These Precious Days” is a collection of essays by the well known writer， member of the American Academy of Arts & Letters and bookstore co-owner Ann Patchett。 They are all personal recollections of people， events and experiences that have made her the writer she is today。 The essays are set California， where Ms Patchett grew up， Nashville and the surrounding areas where she later moved to and lives today。 Along the way there are youthful trips to Europe， later travel in the US during her younger adult years at college and other institutions of learning。 Even later in her life， there are frequent travels and of course stories as she finds her place as a successful writer and supporter of other writers。 Enduring friendships and close family relationships remain important， throughout her life。 The essays， both old and new， sometimes rewritten， are charming， delightful， funny and sad。 Often thought provoking; always heart-warming。 Themes of family & enduring friendship， love， beauty， life & death are visited and revisited throughout these stories。 There are occasional cameos from the famous or even infamous ！ Some lovely references to children’s literature and to well loved family pets。 The events and people in these essays， are presented with honesty， love， tenderness， humour and frankness。 Another frequent theme is that of becoming and being a writer。 The essays often touch upon different parts Ms Patchett’s journey as a writer。 Her influences， both growing up and later in life， her desires and ambitions to write， her contemporaries and friends。 I particularly enjoyed learning how she goes about the craft of writing。 From the physical aspects of writing， to her methods of gathering the words and characters， building plots and the other aspects we see in her fiction and non-fiction works。 Ms Patchett also discusses the issue of book cover art; selection， her role and how this has changed over the years。 Several essays are about memories; recalling the past， people， events large and small。 A particularly poignant and to me， authentic piece of writing surrounds the aspects of a child’s life a parent may cherish and collect as that child grows， leave home and make their way in the world。 Towards the end of a parents life， there may be boxes of these memories; photographs， cards， letters， notes， articles and so on。 It can be easy to be dismissive of these boxes of life’s detritus。 But as Ms Patchett wisely reflects “…children don’t care…until they do”。 We see her gratitude for “…mothers and others who keep things， make memories possible， vivid and real…”。I think this book will appeal to many readers on several levels。 In particular those who have enjoyed Ms Patchett’s books and writings， or perhaps those seeking to become a writer or a better， more successful writer。 For people of a certain age， the issues of ageing parents and the quality of life towards the end， may find a particular resonance。 In these times of covid， loss and disruption continues to be around us and Ms Patchett is not spared。 She bares her soul in many of these stories， in particular the heartwarming title essay， “These Precious Days”。 Having now read this fine collection of essays， I look forward to going back and reading a lot more of Ms Patchett’s books and other works。 I plan to seek out some of the authors and books she has mentioned， both older writers as well and her contemporaries; also some of the wonderful writers of children’s literature。 And of course， next time I am in the Nashville area， I plan to visit the bookstore Ms Patchett co-owns ！ As a location in some of the stories， it seems a warm and welcoming refuge in these days of drive-thru， take-out and online retailing。 To quote from one of the early stories in this book， one should， “…make good use of the days we have…”。I wish Ms Patchett and those involved in bringing this book to publication， all the very best。 。。。more
Katie Walters
，
A collection of essays， each based on true events from Ann Patchett’s life。 At times amusing， sometimes sad， but overwhelmingly heart-warming。 Patchett is refreshingly open about her decision not to have children， and gracefully relays both her successes and her failures with equal candour。 The tender retelling of her dear friend Sooki’s battle with cancer is a wonder to read from the sheer joy and celebration they feel sharing this portion of their lives together。~A book that makes you not want A collection of essays， each based on true events from Ann Patchett’s life。 At times amusing， sometimes sad， but overwhelmingly heart-warming。 Patchett is refreshingly open about her decision not to have children， and gracefully relays both her successes and her failures with equal candour。 The tender retelling of her dear friend Sooki’s battle with cancer is a wonder to read from the sheer joy and celebration they feel sharing this portion of their lives together。~A book that makes you not want to take even a moment of life for granted！ Everyone should read it。 。。。more
Kristin Gleeson
，
I have long appreciated and enjoyed Ann Patchett’s novels and so was looking forward to read this set of memoir essays。 I have to say I wasn’t disappointed。 Her engaging manner of writing is clearly evident， along with the usual thoughtful insights and themes present in her novels that make you pause to consider their importance。 In this case there is also a somewhat casual manner that give a sense of a conversation with a reader， as if Ann Patchett was reflecting on the matter at this moment。 I I have long appreciated and enjoyed Ann Patchett’s novels and so was looking forward to read this set of memoir essays。 I have to say I wasn’t disappointed。 Her engaging manner of writing is clearly evident， along with the usual thoughtful insights and themes present in her novels that make you pause to consider their importance。 In this case there is also a somewhat casual manner that give a sense of a conversation with a reader， as if Ann Patchett was reflecting on the matter at this moment。 In particular， the essay “These Precious Days” that also provides the book’s title， is an extremely moving account of a particular friendship that in the giving returned so much to Patchett herself。 It’s also an account of coping and understanding how to support someone dealing with a life threatening illness and examining the possibility of loss。 These themes are present in the other essays and are woven in her life experiences with her father and stepfathers and others。 There are also essays that discuss her writing and publishing life and the bookshop that she owns， all of which have enabled her to encounter so many varied people。 These essays on the surface are of great interest to me as a writer， but they also had deeper themes about understanding who you are and taking responsibility and defending your own work。 Those elements in particular resonated with me。 All of these essays make for an extremely pleasurable read either to dip and out and consider slowly or just sit back and enjoy the conversation。 。。。more
Heather K Veitch
，
Having been a fan of Ann Patchett’s fiction over the years， it was a delight to come across this collection of non-fiction essays from over her lifetime。 Some are more autobiographical than others， but all have wisdom to impart — the importance of family， of friendship， of forgiveness， of fortitude。 Some are hilarious， others poignant and heartbreaking。 I love how careful Patchett is with her prose — as a writer， I learn so much from others’ work and this collection had me feeling like a fresh-f Having been a fan of Ann Patchett’s fiction over the years， it was a delight to come across this collection of non-fiction essays from over her lifetime。 Some are more autobiographical than others， but all have wisdom to impart — the importance of family， of friendship， of forgiveness， of fortitude。 Some are hilarious， others poignant and heartbreaking。 I love how careful Patchett is with her prose — as a writer， I learn so much from others’ work and this collection had me feeling like a fresh-faced student all over again， which was a good thing — and I also love how observant and astute she is as she shares these facets of her life。 Brilliantly engaging and heartwarming， and highly recommended。 I received an e-ARC from the publisher， Bloomsbury， through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review。 。。。more
Jen Burrows
，
Described as a collection of essays， These Precious Days feels more like a compilation of short stories - albeit deeply personal， autobiographical ones。 A good essay should communicate some kind of shared truth， while Patchett's focus is more on describing and defining herself and her immediate circle。 Don't get me wrong， that's still a valuable and interesting ambition - even if over the entire collection it does get a little repetitive。Many of these pieces take on a very similar tone and a fam Described as a collection of essays， These Precious Days feels more like a compilation of short stories - albeit deeply personal， autobiographical ones。 A good essay should communicate some kind of shared truth， while Patchett's focus is more on describing and defining herself and her immediate circle。 Don't get me wrong， that's still a valuable and interesting ambition - even if over the entire collection it does get a little repetitive。Many of these pieces take on a very similar tone and a familiar structure。 It's a shame， because in some ways the fact that these essays have been collected together undermines their value。 For instance， as a standalone piece， the title essay is heartfelt and astute， a beautiful story of friendship。 But read as part of the whole， it loses some of its weight。Thoughtful， sincere and often a little sanctimonious - I enjoyed These Precious Days but it didn't have quite the impact I hoped it would。*Thank you to Netgalley for the arc in exchange for an honest review* 。。。more
Ophelia Alderton
，
As I read a proof copy I am not allowed to extract and copy some of the most beautiful passages， but let me tell you there is some very poignant and thought provoking reflections in this book。 I loved the essays on; not wishing to have children， Kate DiCamllo andThese Precious Days。 Ann is a wise and tender woman who I am unlikely to ever meet but this felt like a collection of conversations I would love to have with her。
Aoife McMenamin
，
I read to 36% and DNF’d this。 Very boring， a little pious; it was beginning to get on my nerves so it was time to put it down。 Others will enjoy this greatly I’m sure but unfortunately， it was not for me and if I’m honest， it has put me off her books a little。 I’ve read The Dutch House （liked， didn’t love） but not her others。
Jackie Murrell
，
Having read several of her books， I already knew that Ann Patchett was a wonderful writer， but having read this collection of her essays， I now know that she is also a wonderful human being， Musing on a variety of subjects， from her family relationships and friendships， to what it takes to be a living saint， from giving up shopping for a year to Snoopy as a writing inspiration， her observations are thoughtful， warm and often inspirational。 Whether explaining why she has never wanted children （bu Having read several of her books， I already knew that Ann Patchett was a wonderful writer， but having read this collection of her essays， I now know that she is also a wonderful human being， Musing on a variety of subjects， from her family relationships and friendships， to what it takes to be a living saint， from giving up shopping for a year to Snoopy as a writing inspiration， her observations are thoughtful， warm and often inspirational。 Whether explaining why she has never wanted children （but is never believed！） to her account of offering a place of refuge to a friend she barely knows undergoing cancer treatment， and forging a deep friendship in the process， she has an openness to experience and what can be learned from it， and a great capacity for love and humility。 I was moved to tears twice， but the overall effect of reading this book is joy。 。。。more
Elainedav
，
I don't usually read short stories but because this collection was written by Ann Patchett， I thought it would be interesting。 It was a bit like reading a memoir in a different format。 Many of the essays have been published before in magazines or newspapers but they have been brought together into one volume now。 Most of the essays are reflective， looking back at different experiences or times in the author's life。The title essay 'These Precious Days' is a piece about friendship。 It is extraordi I don't usually read short stories but because this collection was written by Ann Patchett， I thought it would be interesting。 It was a bit like reading a memoir in a different format。 Many of the essays have been published before in magazines or newspapers but they have been brought together into one volume now。 Most of the essays are reflective， looking back at different experiences or times in the author's life。The title essay 'These Precious Days' is a piece about friendship。 It is extraordinary and makes you think about lots of things， not least tenuous links to other people and how our relationships develop over time。 Another emotional read is 'Or Not' which tells the story of the death of Ann's father and her feelings following his passing。 Very personal， very well told and a story which resonates deeply。Thank you to NetGalley for an early copy in exchange for an honest review。 。。。more
Bob Hughes
，
Having loved Patchett's last novel 'The Dutch House'， I was excited to read her non-fiction， and she did not disappoint。We run the full range of Patchett's life， covering literary topics like her running a bookshop， writers she has met， and her struggles with getting good covers- all of which is to be expected from a writer， but then she goes much deeper， and this is where she is at her most powerful， I think。She writes about her three father figures， and what each has taught her， as well as a m Having loved Patchett's last novel 'The Dutch House'， I was excited to read her non-fiction， and she did not disappoint。We run the full range of Patchett's life， covering literary topics like her running a bookshop， writers she has met， and her struggles with getting good covers- all of which is to be expected from a writer， but then she goes much deeper， and this is where she is at her most powerful， I think。She writes about her three father figures， and what each has taught her， as well as a moving essay about her decision not to have children， and the numerous people who try to tell her she is wrong for feeling that way。 There is a subtle anger to that essay that is shimmering- the power of silence over shouting。 Towards the end， we get to the titular essay， 'These Precious Days'， which is slightly longer， and charts the friendship between Patchett and an assistant she meets through work， Sooki。 There is a beauty and tenderness to her language throughout this- a quiet foreboding that we understand that Sooki's battle with pancreatic cancer during a pandemic might be fraught with worry and terror， but Patchett is determined to find the moments of joy， of relief， and of beauty。It is to Patchett's great credit that this essay never falls into pity， despondency or toxic positivity。 Instead it just finds a point of focus that is so resolute and beautiful， and I found it profoundly moving。 The collection is worth 5 stars for this essay alone， but the other essays， even though about disparate topics， build us to a point where the closing moments of the collection feel complete。 We also come to realise where the cover for this essay collection comes from- a nice callback to the essay on book covers， that almost feels random at first， but comes to have new meaning as the book finishes。 I received an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review。 。。。more
Jamie
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I absolutely loved this essay collection。 Even better than her first collection， I didn't want it to end。 The title essay in indescribably beautiful and the epilogue is heartbreaking。 I absolutely loved this essay collection。 Even better than her first collection， I didn't want it to end。 The title essay in indescribably beautiful and the epilogue is heartbreaking。 。。。more
Jhoanna
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📚📚📚📚📚 I could stay inside this book for days。
Kim McGee
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It could be that the last year and a half has left me nostalgic。 It could be that Ann Patchett has a tremendous writing gift for making you feel like you are sitting at her kitchen table having coffee or at the bookstore like two old friends。 Whatever the reason these essays spoke to me。 I laughed nodding like a bobble head doll when she wrote of Snoopy， discovering the joy and sorrow of Kate DiCamillo's books， my crush Tom Hanks and traveling with a friend to Europe on the cheap。 I cried and wa It could be that the last year and a half has left me nostalgic。 It could be that Ann Patchett has a tremendous writing gift for making you feel like you are sitting at her kitchen table having coffee or at the bookstore like two old friends。 Whatever the reason these essays spoke to me。 I laughed nodding like a bobble head doll when she wrote of Snoopy， discovering the joy and sorrow of Kate DiCamillo's books， my crush Tom Hanks and traveling with a friend to Europe on the cheap。 I cried and was jealous of the selflessness and kind heart that she and her husband had for Sooki who started as an email friend and became family。 THESE PRECIOUS DAYS probably won't change your life， cure a deadly disease or stop a pandemic but her soothing， matter of fact writing style puts you at ease and makes you feel better about your own shortcomings as a human。 If you are already part of her fan club， enjoy！ If you are new to her writing or like me and not usually a reader of essays， prepare to change your tune。 My thanks to the publisher for the advance copy。 。。。more
Clarisa Butler
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This is my second book by Ann Patchett and her first one of essays。 Both I have enjoyed immensely。 I must say these essays read like short stories in the very best sense - they all have that constructed lived pattern which makes them round and complete and satisfying vignettes of life with a punch to mull over。 I have loved everyone and each of them - be it the memorable opening one about her three fathers， the one about tattoos seen in her youthful trips with a friend in France; how knitting sa This is my second book by Ann Patchett and her first one of essays。 Both I have enjoyed immensely。 I must say these essays read like short stories in the very best sense - they all have that constructed lived pattern which makes them round and complete and satisfying vignettes of life with a punch to mull over。 I have loved everyone and each of them - be it the memorable opening one about her three fathers， the one about tattoos seen in her youthful trips with a friend in France; how knitting saved her life （twice！）; or the extraordinary titular one about a new friendship in times of adversity。 The writing is supple， engaging， never over written; the ideas discussed， interesting， surprising at times; the tone， intimate， and always with a sense of real honesty。 I admire Patchett's quiet sense of humour and quirky way of approaching the issue at hand。 Probably all of the essays deal with mortality and the passing of time in a way or another， many have an elegiac tone， but there is always humour。 Perhaps the one which made me laugh more heartily was the one about the American Academy of Arts。。。 There is always a positive twist， this is a life-affirming collection of ruminations springing from the author's life which I found tremendously interesting。 With many thanks to Bloomsbury via NetGalley for the opportunity to read this excellent book。 。。。more
Katy Wheatley
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This is a wonderful book of essays by novelist Ann Patchett， best known for her prize winning novel， Bel Canto。 Some of the essays have previously been published in magazines and journals， others are new to the book。 Patchett is a fascinating and generous writer。 It seems that nothing is off limits here。 She writes about her relationship with her fathers （she had three）， her friends， her husband， her dogs。 She writes about her growth as a writer， her complex relationship with spirituality and fa This is a wonderful book of essays by novelist Ann Patchett， best known for her prize winning novel， Bel Canto。 Some of the essays have previously been published in magazines and journals， others are new to the book。 Patchett is a fascinating and generous writer。 It seems that nothing is off limits here。 She writes about her relationship with her fathers （she had three）， her friends， her husband， her dogs。 She writes about her growth as a writer， her complex relationship with spirituality and faith。 Some of the later essays touch on the COVID pandemic and the strangeness of the changes it brought to her life。 I loved everything。 I don't think there is a dud essay here。 Certain lines spoke to me in some work， whole essays reverberated with me in others。 I loved her essay about how her early love of Snoopy made her both a better writer and a better person。 She has an incredible power of taking the ordinary and writing it into the extraordinary。 I loved this so much。 One of my top ten books of 2021。 。。。more
Ceecee
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This is a varied and lovely collection of reflective essays written by Ann Patchett over the years。 I think one of the things I’ll take away from this is what a wonderful， warm hearted and generous person she is。 She’s kind， hospitable and a loyal and true friend - in fact， at the end of reading this I want her to befriend me！！！！ The stand out story in my opinion is These Precious Days when after reading Tom Hank’s short stories， she gets to meets Tom and his assistant Sooki Raphael with whom sh This is a varied and lovely collection of reflective essays written by Ann Patchett over the years。 I think one of the things I’ll take away from this is what a wonderful， warm hearted and generous person she is。 She’s kind， hospitable and a loyal and true friend - in fact， at the end of reading this I want her to befriend me！！！！ The stand out story in my opinion is These Precious Days when after reading Tom Hank’s short stories， she gets to meets Tom and his assistant Sooki Raphael with whom she forms an incredible friendship。 Sooki’s story is written with deep love and compassion， I love it， it moves me and the author also makes me love Sooki。 It’s impossible to mention all in this eclectic collection but ‘My Year of No Shopping’ is very thought provoking about the stuff we all accumulate and I’ve made a LARGE note to myself to try to follow some of this wisdom when I’m tempted to click Buy Now！ I can but try。 The Worthless Servant is a very moving story about Father Charlie Strobel and the lessons the author has learned from him。 In the Doghouse makes me laugh especially as Snoopy is her role model （and why not）， How Knitting Saved My Life Twice is funny but then becomes serious demonstrating how it helps overcome her grief at the loss of a dear friend。 Tavia is one of Ann’s best friends and her lifeline and she’s just my kind of friend as she remembers half while Ann remembers the other half！ The definition of a perfect friend！ It’s clear that friendship is so valuable to AP and once a friend it seems you are a friend for life。 Her open house policy with frequent visitors tells you all you need to know about her generous spirit。 The stories include a focus on her family and it’s dynamics and she is very frank about some life decisions she has made。 Overall ， this is an extremely readable collection about family， friends， love and what really matters。 Her passion for all things bookish shines through and if I’m ever in Nashville her bookshop Parnassus is a must visit。 What I’ll take away from this is a feeling of warmth that emanates from the author and how she is prepared to stand up for what she thinks is right。 Highly recommended。 With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Bloomsbury Publishing PLC for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review。 。。。more
Louise
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