This Is the Story of a Happy Marriage Author:Ann Patchett "The tricky thing about being a writer, or about being any kind of artist, is that in addition to making art you also have to make a living." — So begins This Is the Story of a Happy Marriage, an examination of the things Ann Patchett is fully committed to—the art and craft of writing, the depths of fr... more »iendship, an elderly dog, and one spectacular nun. Writing nonfiction, which started off as a means of keeping her insufficiently lucrative fiction afloat, evolved over time to be its own kind of art, the art of telling the truth as opposed to the art of making things up. Bringing her narrative gifts to bear on her own life, Patchett uses insight and compassion to turn very personal experiences into stories that will resonate with every reader.
These essays twine to create both a portrait of life and a philosophy of life. Obstacles that at first appear insurmountable—scaling a six-foot wall in order to join the Los Angeles Police Department, opening an independent bookstore, and sitting down to write a novel—are eventually mastered with quiet tenacity and sheer force of will. The actual happy marriage, which was the one thing she felt she wasn't capable of, ultimately proves to be a metaphor as well as a fact: Patchett has devoted her life to the people and ideals she loves the most. An irresistible blend of literature and memoir, This Is the Story of a Happy Marriage is a unique examination of the heart, mind, and soul of one of our most revered and gifted writers.
Nonfiction, an introduction --
How to read a Christmas story --
The getaway car : a practical memoir about writing and life --
The sacrament of divorce --
The Paris match --
This dog's life --
The best seat in the house --
My road to Hell was paved --
Tennessee --
On responsibility --
The wall --
Fact vs. fiction --
My life in sales --
"The love between the two women is not normal" --
The right to read --
Do not disturb --
Introduction to "The Best American Short Stories 2006" --