These Precious Days is a 2021 essay collection by American writer Ann Patchett. It received “rave” reviews and became a New York Times best seller.
 | |
| Author | Ann Patchett |
|---|---|
| Cover artist | Sooki Raphael |
| Language | English |
| Genre | Essays |
| Publisher | Harper |
Publication date | November 23, 2021 |
| Publication place | United States |
| Pages | 336 |
| ISBN | 978-0-06-309278-5 |
| Preceded by | This Is the Story of a Happy Marriage |
Publication
editThese Precious Days was published on November 23, 2021, by Harper.[1] The 336-page collection contains 24 essays, some previously published but revised for the collection.[2]
Contents
editThe essays range in subject, but often consider relationships in Patchett's personal and professional life, including with her father and stepfathers; her decision not to have children; the close friendship she develops in the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic with Tom Hanks' assistant Sooki Raphael. Patchett's life as a writer, from her earliest grade school writing, through college and graduate school, magazine writing, novels and ultimately selling books at her Nashville independent bookstore Parnassus, is woven throughout.
Patchett describes These Precious Days as a sequel to her 2013 essay collection This Is the Story of a Happy Marriage.
Reception
editThe collection received strongly favorable press, with book review aggregator Book Marks rating it a “rave” based on 25 reviews.[3]
Publishers Weekly gave These Precious Days a starred review, calling it “eloquent” and saying Patchett writes “poignantly—and often with wry humor”.[1] In The New York Times, Alex Witchel called the collection “excellent”, saying “Patchett’s heart, smarts and 40 years of craft create an economy that delivers her perfectly understated stories emotionally whole.”[4] In The Washington Post, Michele Filgate praised Patchett's “welcoming and comforting” prose.[2]
On December 12, 2021, These Precious Days made The New York Times Best Seller list for hardcover non-fiction,[5] and has remained on it through January 2, 2022.[6] Former US president Barack Obama named it to his list of favorite books he read in 2021.[7]
References
edit- ^ a b "Nonfiction Book Review: These Precious Days: Essays by Ann Patchett. Harper, $26.99 (336p) ISBN 978-0-06-309278-5". Publishers Weekly. Archived from the original on 2021-12-14. Retrieved 2021-12-14.
- ^ 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.
- ^ "Book Marks reviews of These Precious Days: Essays by Ann Patchett". Book Marks. Archived from the original on 2021-12-14. Retrieved 2021-12-14.
- ^ Witchel, Alex (19 November 2021). "Ann Patchett Has Thoughts on a Bunch of Subjects". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 14 December 2021. Retrieved 14 December 2021.
- ^ "Hardcover Nonfiction Books - Best Sellers - Books - Dec. 12, 2021 - The New York Times". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on 2021-12-26. Retrieved 2021-12-26.
- ^ "Hardcover Nonfiction Books - Best Sellers - Books - The New York Times". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on 2018-05-18. Retrieved 2021-12-26.
- ^ Vakil, Caroline (2021-12-16). "Obama shares favorite books, movies of the year". The Hill. Archived from the original on 2021-12-26. Retrieved 2021-12-26.