About book This Is The Story Of A Happy Marriage (2013)
There’s an intimate feel to these essays, almost as if one wore settling in for a long chat ranging across many topics — from experience and advice on writing and writing programs, training for the LAPD, and the joys of opera, to how her bad relationships led to a good one in the end. These were definitely my favorites in the collection. In fact, the essay on opera — and the Met’s live HD broadcasts, in particular — inspired me to go to my first live broadcast at a local theater. (It was as good as Patchett promised!) I’ve read two or three of Patchett’s novels, but have not read Truth and Beauty, the story of her relationship with Lucy Grealy. In fact, I was not aware of Lucy Grealy or the controversy that Patchett’s relationship with her engendered. I listened to the audiobook and enjoyed it. I almost always prefer to hear authors read their own nonfiction, rather than other narrators. And I certainly enjoyed Patchett’s reading, though occasionally thought it a wee bit too dramatic. Just occasionally, though. She certainly sounded authentic throughout. I’ve found that, when it comes to audiobooks, I prefer nonfiction, especially essay collections, to fiction. I loved Nora Ephron’s. And am now on the lookout for similar books. This is one of the best nonfiction books I've read in a while. I've always been a fan of Ann Patchett's fiction; this is the first nonfiction book of hers I've read, and I enjoyed it as much as I enjoy her fiction. Her writing is engaging and funny, and her stories are memorable and poignant. I especially enjoyed the chapters on writing and publishing, as I am in the middle of my own debut novel publishing journey, and I found her experiences quite informative! Recommended for writers and readers alike.
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Really great read. I love listening to her voice as well.
—genta
