These Precious Days: Essays

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These Precious Days is a collection of twenty-two essays by well-known novelist Ann Patchett. Here, Patchett finds inspiration in reviewing her life: her three fathers, a trip to Europe in her youth, the role Snoopy played in her choice to be a writer, her year of no shopping, papers found in a long-forgotten childhood nightstand, her discovery of children’s author Kate DiCamillo, her father’s chronic illness and death, and caring for a seriously ill acquaintance who became a dear friend.

Given that the author has won numerous literary prizes, including the PEN/Faulkner Award for Fiction and the Orange Prize for Fiction, these are unsurprisingly well-crafted essays. Indeed, they feel a bit like sharing coffee with an old friend on a long, rainy afternoon. It is not always clear where the conversation may go, but it will be comfortable and lead someplace interesting.

For those who enjoyed Patchett’s earlier work, including The Patron Saint of Liars, The Magician’s Assistant, and more recently, The Dutch House, or those simply looking for thought-provoking essays, this collection will more than satisfy.


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Author Ann Patchett
Star Count 5/5
Format Hard
Page Count 336 pages
Publisher Harper
Publish Date 23-Nov-2021
ISBN 9780063092785
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Issue December 2021
Category Poetry & Short Stories
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