These Precious Days: Essays

This is a 10-star book in a five-star world.If you're an Ann Patchett fan, this is a must-read. If you've never heard of Ann Patchett, you still need to read this, but first treat yourself to one or two of her novels. I highly recommend "The Dutch House" and "Bel Canto."Each of these essays is a sparkling little gem, a valuable lesson in life, lessons in living and in dying. It could just be an astute observation or it could be a pithy little sentence that makes you go, "Yes! That's it!"I adored every single one of the essays, but just to whet your appetite, here is a sampling:• "Three Fathers": Ann Patchett had three fathers because her mother had three marriages, two of which ended in divorce. At her sister's wedding, Ann realized all three of the men, who were never together for obvious reasons, would be in the same place at the same time. So she had her photo taken with them. One of the dads astutely observed to the other two, "You know what she's going to do, don't you? She's going to wait until the three of us are dead and then she's going to write about us. This is the picture that will run with the piece." He was right.• "The First Thanksgiving": When Ann was a freshman at Sarah Lawrence College in New York City she couldn't go home to Nashville, Tennessee for Thanksgiving. Because she didn't know any one well enough to be invited home for the long weekend, she stayed in the dorm. What happened next is both hilarious and heartbreaking.• "How to Practice": A wise admonition to men and women of a certain age to get your house in order—clear the clutter, get your papers organized—long before you die so your children don't have to do it for you.• "Cover Stories": A fascinating explanation of how book covers are created, specifically Ann Patchett's book covers.The best one, and that's really saying a lot because they could all be considered "the best one," is the title story, "These Precious Days," in which Ann recounts her unlikely friendship with Tom Hanks's personal assistant, Sooki. Have a box of tissues handy when you read this one.Brilliantly written with keen insight these essays are, quite simply, a treasure. When you close the book on the last page, you will feel like Ann Patchett is your friend because you will know that much about her.Bonus: I read this book, as I read every book, on my Kindle. But if you read the hardcover version (it's not available in paperback yet), you get a double cover. The front and back covers are different. I had to Google it to see the back cover. Why? Read the essay "Cover Stories" to find out! (P.S. I just bought the hardcover version for just this reason.)

I find myself loving almost everything Ann Patchett has ever written. This book is no exception. These essays are thoughtful, heartfelt, beautifully written, and all of them spoke to me.

I found this very enjoyable reading. One essay even had me taking up knitting again!

YES !!

I admit to being a fan of Ann Patchett’s from the first book to the most recent. I was taken to this book by an interview on NPR that I heard this week, with readings from “These Precious Days.” The story of Sooki is enough reason to read it, but there is so much more richness. Something very personal of Ann comes across in these essays, and I wanted to reach out to her to thank her. This book is that good, so good. Get it, read it, give it to all of your friends.

Ann Patchett is one of my very favorite writers; I've read almost all if not every one of her novels. This collection of essays shows the same incredible flair with language, on a wonderfully varied series of topics.She starts with the semi-hilarious tale of her three fathers, her birth father and her mother's two subsequent husbands. While her own father actively discouraged her pursuit of a career in writing, her stepfather, a very successful surgeon, envied her choice - not to mention her success. She tells delicious stories of the many bad novels which he churned out, some of which she had to sell (if not tout) in her Nashville bookstore - even though they were uniformly dreadful.Her Covid story has a great twist, with a guest of a few days becoming the third member of her household, staying for months while bringing all sorts of new factors into the household, almost all of them surprisingly good.Some of the essays are but a few pages, the Covid tale is almost a novella. Her graceful prose is always a pleasure to read; her writing is fluid and elegant, like an excellent wine. (She likes wine.) I feel almost like I know her from the frank tales of her domestic life, even though we have, of course, never met.During these busy holiday times, it was great to be able to pick up and put down this collection, so much easier to manage than an epic novel like LINCOLN HIGHWAY, my last venture. But a treat nonetheless.

The group of essays can be read like a novel. Great tips for want-to-be authors, and so many authors and books suggested by Patchett. She writes beautifully about friendship and also about death...loved the analogy of the dinner party and death. I did think her essay about her choice to be childless seemed a bit defensive and a need to justify her decision. Overall, I recommend this book.

So many great life lessons here! Every word spoke to me about living your best life while helping others live their best life. Isn’t that why we are all here? Thank you, Ann Patchett, for These Precious Days.

A friend recommended “These Precious Days”. She had been waiting for an operation on her hip and was not able to read much because of the pain. However, a member of her family brought round the book and she said it was the only book which took her out of herself.I immediately ordered it from Amazon and now Ann is the newest friend I have, but also the oldest, as because she is selfless in her descriptions of her life events, I feel I have known her forever.It is also a little encyclopaedia of cross Atlantic knowledge, she being American and myself being English. Thank goodness for my iPad with ever helpful dictionaries. Please read this very engaging work.

I love Ann Patchett - she’s so wise and interesting without being preachy and contrived. I have enjoyed this book of essays immensely, and I’m going to buy paper copies to give to people for Christmas. Please read this - I bet you’ll love it.

Just love this book - a series of essays - some new some rewritten during lockdown taking us from how Ann loves Snoopy, had an "interesting" childhood, how knitting helped her through some very bad patches, and now co owns a bookshop! Nothing not to love for any Ann Patchett fan.

Ann Patchett gets better with everything she writes. Truly a modern great author

Outstanding collection of essays from one of the best contemporary writers.Highly recommended.