Tuesday, November 23, 2021

These Precious Days: Essays - Ann Patchett - First Chapter First Paragraph Tuesday Intros

 

Welcome to First Chapter/Intros, hosted by Yvonne @ Socrates Book ReviewsEach week readers post the first paragraph (or 2) of a book we are reading or plan to read soon.  Today's selection is another book by a favorite author of mine, Ann Patchett. I decided to include the first paragraph from the introduction, as well as, the first paragraph from the first essay.

Harper - 11/23/2021 - release day

Introduction

Essays Don't Die

The first time I remember seriously thinking about my own death, I was twenty-six years old and working on my first novel, The Patron Saint of Liars.  No matter where I went, I carried the entire cast of characters with me--the heroines and heroes and supporting players, as well as the towns they lived in, their houses and cars, all the streets and all the trees and the color of the light.  Every day a little bit more of their story was committed to paper, but everything that was still to come existed only in my head.  Remembering things is how I work. I didn't have outlines or notes, and because of that, I was hounded by the thought of stepping off a curb at the wrong moment, or drowning in the ocean (this second scenario was more likely, as I was living in Provincetown, Massachusetts, where I swam in the freezing water and was prone to cramps).

Three Fathers

Marriage has always proven irresistible in my family.  We try and fail and try again, somehow maintaining our belief in an institution that has made fools of us all.  I married twice; so has my sister.  Our mother married three times.  None of us set out for this.  We meant to stick our landing on the first try, but we stumbled.  My parents divorced when I was five. My mother and stepfather Mike had their final parting when I was twenty-four.  She married Darrell when I was twenty-seven, and they stayed together until he died in 2018, when I was fifty-four.

I can't wait to dive in an earlier book of essays: This is the Story of a Happy Marriage (2013) was a favorite read of mine.  What do you think of the intros?

19 comments:

  1. Love both of these... I'm going to download the audio today!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Patchett reads the audio making it more personal. The download from the library just became available for me.

      Delete
    2. JoAnn - I have the eBook and audio but, all of a sudden the author's voice seems rather robotic to me so I've switched to eBook version LOL

      Delete
  2. Those were both really good and so well written.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I loved the writing as well. I think this will be a good one.

      Delete
  3. Great excerpts, and now this book is calling to me! Thanks for sharing.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I do love her writing; just started it even though I was going to wait as I'm pretty busy right now.

      Delete
  4. Ann Patchett is a favorite of mine as well and I do want to read this book - probably in 2022.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Patchett has long been a favorite, and I love personal essays!

    ReplyDelete
  6. I am so looking forward to reading/listening to this collection of essays. I hope I'm not disappointed!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. My hold from the library for the audio just came available. The author reads this one and although I just started it it's good - a more personal feel since it is autobiographical.

      Delete
    2. Les, not sure if it's me but all of a sudden the author's voice seems rather robotic to me so I've switched to print version LOL

      Delete
  7. Really great excerpts. I would want to read this one.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. SO far so good but, I need to stop until after Thanksgiving now.

      Delete
  8. Those excerpts certainly make me want to read more!

    ReplyDelete
  9. Ann Patchett has been a bit hit or miss for me but I'm always willing to check out her books so yes, I'd love to read this one. Plus, essays are not something I typically read and would like to explore a bit more.

    ReplyDelete

Thanks for taking the time to visit and double thanks for any comments. If you ask a question in your comments, I will try to reply to it here, or by email if your settings allow me to do so. Thanks again for visiting.