JanB's Reviews > These Precious Days: Essays

I love Ann Patchett’s writing but ultimately, in this case, the book languished on my nightstand until I downloaded the audiobook. Listening to Ann read her own words was the perfect way to experience her essays.

As with any collection, there were some essays I liked better than others, and I recommend reading (or listening) to one or two a day, not straight through. The one I found most interesting as a reader was “Cover Art”, on how covers are chosen and how much input is allowed an author. In my own journey to minimize and simplify I appreciated her essay, “My Year of No Shopping”. The most heartfelt and moving essay was about Sooki, Tom Hank’s assistant. They became friends and grew even closer during Sooki’s long battle with pancreatic cancer. It is her art on the cover of the book and their relationship was touching and moving. You can read it online here: https://harpers.org/archive/2021/01/t...

In between, Ann touches on her childhood, her fathers, the death of a parent, her decision to remain childless, her writing career, owning a bookstore, her marriage, and other topics. Listening to her was like sitting down with a good friend over a cup of coffee.

This is indeed a precious life and Ann reminds us how very fragile life is and how we need to find the joy in our days. Living a life of love and generosity of spirit, paying attention to the small moments, and putting people and relationships above all else sounds like meaningless platitudes but in this book we see them in action.

I enjoyed this glimpse into Ann’s life and closed the last page with a full heart.