This Is the Story of a Happy Marriage

De: Ann Patchett

Narrado por: Ann Patchett

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.

©2013 Ann Patchett (P)2013 HarperCollinsPublishers

Reseñas de la Crítica

"Readable and candid, Patchett’s collection is a joyful celebration of life, love and the written word." (Kirkus Reviews)

"Reading Patchett is like spending time with a deeply perceptive longtime pal, or a new friend that one instantly connects with." (USA Today)

"[A] sparkling collection." (The New Yorker)

Entertaining, engrossing, and elucidative essays

This is the Story of a Happy Marriage is everything other reviewers have said, and more. It’s a wonderfully-written and varied collection of Ann Patchett’s essays, ranging from musings about how she considered joining the Los Angeles Police Dept. in order to write about it and how she is influenced by her father, a retired LAPD police captain, to her feelings about her dog Rose and Sister Nena, the nun that taught her to read and write, to the eloquent and moving account of caring for her grandmother during her progression into dementia.

I’ve read and enjoyed (with reservations) several of Patchett’s novels. Bel Canto was great but I hated the ending, and I liked State of Wonder, except for some of the more ludicrous plot points. I personally found this collection of essays much more engrossing than any of her novels that I’ve read. She can write about almost anything, revealing thoughts, emotions, and advice without becoming preachy and overbearing.

I was completely unaware of Lucy Grealy, Patchett’s long-term friendship with her, and the controversies arising from their relationship. I’m very tempted to read Patchett’s Truth and Beauty to delve into this further, and may do that after I’ve had some time to digest the essay from Grealy’s sister in The Guardian. I’m hoping that Patchett will further show, as she did in this collection, that there are often quite a few ways of viewing a situation, and one absolute truth does not always exist.

I do have to thank Ann Patchett for leading me to an epiphany. In “Love Sustained”, she writes about the long and painful decline of her grandmother Eva:

“My grandmother had spent her life taking care of other people, cooking their food, cleaning their houses. It was her proof that she was valuable in the world. Now I cleaned my grandmother's apartment, which hurt her every single time. My cleaning was an accusation, no matter how quietly I went about it.”

When I read “It was her proof that she was valuable in the world.”, I gained a much better understanding of my dear mother-in-law. She raised five children with lots of hard work and no time to herself. Now that she has too much time to herself, she is missing that visible proof that she is valuable in the world. I could see her so clearly in that one simple sentence. I’m grateful for this entertaining and elucidative collection of essays that was a pleasure to read, and even more so when read by the author in the audio version.

About a Lot More than Marriage

What did you love best about This Is the Story of a Happy Marriage?

To me, as a writer, this proved to be one of the most valuable books I've ever come across. While Ann Patchett's marriage to her husband plays a significant part in her story, it's actually an account of her lifelong commitment to writing. The detours and missteps she's taken along the way to a career in that field are in many ways analogous to the errors a married couple inevitably makes and her ultimate success as a novelist reminds one of the aging couple who have learned to tolerate either other's idiosyncrasies but aren't so entirely comfortable that they no longer have to work at it. A must read for any writer or would-be writer. In addition, readers who have enjoyed Ann Patchett's novels will find this book provides much insight into the author's personality and the process by which she comes to her fiction.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Ann Patchett is the central character of this book. I liked that she was so revealing about herself.

What does Ann Patchett bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

I liked the way her voice reveals her character.

Good pearls of wisdom and insight

Enjoyable well-crafted essays that makes me wish Ann lived across the street. Love that she reads them herself; ultimately I like her novels even more.

Observation Awareness

After struggling with writing my whole life, Ann has exemplified beauty a gift of hope that I too can influence others. The stories and characters brought healing and understanding at a much needed time. I

I purchased Truth and Beauty: A Friendship and The Dutch House: A Novel both by Ann. Also purchased, sure to satisfy: Autobiography of a Face by Ann’s dear friend Lucy Greatly. Thank you Ann for your electrifying example of writing and life.

Revealing, dimensional, touching, and honest

As a new but firm fan of Ann Patchett—both her novels and her nonfiction—I was already expecting to enjoy this. And I was far from disappointed. From entertaining anecdotes and tantalizing details about her private life, to deeply rooted and practical wisdom for writers, artists, and people of all walks of life just trying to make their way through the world, Patchett's essays, collected in this book, are a gold mine. I think what draws me to her is her frank, unabashed way of looking at herself and her place in the world. She is not always likable. She is honest, and owns up to her mistakes and shortcomings, but in such a way that she helps you understand that we all fail sometimes, and our failures do not define our lives. She makes everything, every story and moment of mundane life, seem inspirational and worthy of note. Her reading may not be to everyone's taste, but I found it only enriched the experience—especially to hear her slightly suppressed Tennessean accent peeking through now and then. I will recommend this book again and again to Patchett fans, and anyone needing to hear a few kind, interesting stories.

A Life Detailed The straight forward telling of what life felt like

I wasn’t always sure where we were as it skipped around years and events . I like that The language was clean The Honesty was refreshing

Les Astray

I felt that Ms Patchett made her voice more southern and therefore more racially profiled as she read. It sways her audience. Not allowing the listener come to their own conclusions about attitude.

Wonderful, Author-narrated stories

What did you love best about This Is the Story of a Happy Marriage?

So many well-told tales! Non-fiction, collected writings from the many publications which supported the author as she nurtured her fiction writing career. What treat to hear so many rich experiences. Loved the tale of her Parnassus (independent) Book Store in Nashville!

Have you listened to any of Ann Patchett’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

Have listened to some of her fiction, and this compares quite favorably.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

To write an account of the process of becoming an officer in the LAPD, Ann worked through the steps to qualify to enroll in the Los Angeles Police Academy. Her father, a retired LAPD officer, gave her a home-base and encouragement during the rigorous days of testing of her moral character, and her intellectual and physical abilities.

Brilliant. A pleasure.

Any additional comments?

I have no idea what Ann Patchett is like in person. But in her essays, she's a wonderful, thoughtful, insightful companion.

Awesome !!! Plus read by the author herself

Vignettes were super interesting. I was fascinated by the details of her career and the writing profession as a whole.