These Precious Days
 | |
| 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 |
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.
Publication
[edit]These 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
[edit]The 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.
Reception
[edit]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.”[3] 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,[4] and has remained on it through January 2, 2022.[5] Former US president Barack Obama named it to his list of favorite books he read in 2021.[6]
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.
- ^ 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.