These Precious Days: Essays

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Discuss how writing is an integral part of the author’s identity and shapes the way she approaches life. Ann mentions Sooki’s situation to her husband, Karl, who is a doctor, and the story really begins there. It is an amazing piece of diary, memoir, essay, and colour. Lots of colour. The Vanishing Half: A captivating tale of twin sisters, their diverging paths, and the hidden truths that bind them. Spanning decades and continents, this novel explores race, family, and the powerful legacy that shapes our lives. Prepare to be spellbound by its intricate storytelling.

It was a good yarn for the grieving because even on the days I did nothing, I could point to my knitting and say to myself, Look at all I’ve done.” These Precious Days is a new collection of essays by Ann Patchett that make you think, make you feel, and may even make you cry. On our fourth date, I looked at him across the table in the restaurant…But what did life ever come to without a few risks? I asked him if he wanted to go to Vienna. Yes. He said yes, and then he said it again without giving it a second thought.” I am counting down to the release of These Precious Days. I adore everything she writes but especially her essays, which are always profound and clever, and funny and wise I was a little disappointed that Patchett didn’t include her marvellous Vanity Fair cover story on Nashville resident (and fellow book lover) Reese Witherspoon, which went way beyond your typical magazine profile. But I understand why it didn’t make the cut. (You can read it here.)

About the contributors

I read the title essay, “These Precious Days”, about Ann’s friendship with Sooki Raphael, assistant to Tom Hanks, earlier in 2021 when it was first published. I loved it and was excited to learn the essay would be part of a collection later in the year.

Typically when reading collections, some will resonate more than others and there may be a miss or two, but that was certainly not the case here. They were all great stories that held my interest. The subjects cover life and death, grief and joy, community, and some aspects of being an author and a bookshop owner. I found “Cover Stories” about Ann’s various book covers especially interesting as a reader, book lover, and specifically, an Ann fan. I thought it was funny that she referenced being mistaken for Anne Tyler on multiple occasions because they’re both great writers who capture human elements so well yet their stories are unique enough to be distinct. I believe Patchett fans will love this as I did, getting to know some about her writing and her life. I recommend it to those who haven’t read her books, too. You will want to read every one of them. 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.This choice would introduce her to a remarkable woman named Sooki, Tom’s brilliant assistant, with whom she would form a profound and life-changing bond. 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!" If you get the opportunity, it’s definitely worth settling in with this book. I can’t recommend it enough. It truly is such a calm wonder. Hopefully it will give you a gentle nudge to think about what’s important and what truly matters most to you. And it’s timely to read it as this time of year, at the beginning of a new one. Though I’d say reading this any old time will be the right one. Whether it is witnessing her friend Sooki’s battle with cancer or seeing her father’s health deteriorate, Patchett emerges from these experiences with a sense of appreciation for what was written in destiny. She emphasizes staying present and finding tenderness in the past rather than becoming entangled in grief or bitterness. This attitude is influenced by her admiration for individuals like Strobel, who meet the world with love and openness despite their challenging circumstances. Based on the context, what’s your take on the way how her worldview and values influence the writing style in These Precious Days?

a b Filgate, Michele (November 26, 2021). "Review | Ann Patchett's 'These Precious Days' is a beautiful reminder of what's important". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on 27 November 2021 . Retrieved 14 December 2021.Patchett, in the book, states that grew up in a blended family and she places great importance on the value of relationships and community. Her strong and long-lasting friendships, as well as her stable and content marriage to Karl VanDevender, influences her sense of contentment and gratitude for what life offers. I was starting to understand that what she needed might have been color rather than conversation, breath rather than words.” 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. Lessons in Chemistry: In the 1960s, Elizabeth Zott, an extraordinary chemist, defies gender norms in her male-dominated workplace. Unexpectedly becoming a single mother, she stumbles into hosting a cooking show where her unconventional methods challenge societal norms. Lessons in Chemistry is a hilarious and insightful tale of one woman daring to change the status quo. Based on Patchett’s experiences, discuss how consumerism has played a role in your life. Do you think there are advantages to it at all, or it only destabilizes us as humans?