This Is the Story of a Happy Marriage by Ann Patchett

When I began reading this book and discovered that it’s a collection of essays, I was initially disappointed; however, that disappointment faded quickly. Each essay is thought-provoking on its own, and together they provide an intimate view of Patchett’s life that reads almost like a memoir. I was impressed by her willingness to share so much of herself and loved her writing style, as always.

My favorite essays were “The Getaway Car”, which describes Patchett’s experience as a writer, and the eponymous “This Is the Story of a Happy Marriage”, which takes the reader from her brief, bad first marriage to her current happy one, highlighting some of the lessons she’s learned along the way.