Best Book of the Month: November 2023
A pandemic novel with a little Chekhov sprinkled in.
It’s the first Tuesday of the month, meaning it’s time to share the best book I read in November. This is one I’ve been saving since I picked it up in late summer — and it was worth the wait.
Book: “Tom Lake” by Ann Patchett
How I Found It: I live approximately nine minutes and thirty seven seconds away from Ann’s bookstore, Parnassus Books. I’ve adopted the bookshop as my go-to in Nashville, and, like a good patron, I loyally follow them on Instagram. It was there in early summer that Ann shared the exciting news of her then forthcoming novel. I’ve had it bookmarked since.
What It’s About: “Tom Lake” is a quiet novel. It doesn’t bonk you over the head with action-packed scenes — and that’s a good thing. On the plot front, “Tom Lake” follows Lara, a cherry farmer in northern Michigan, who’s preparing the orchard for harvest with the help of her three adult daughters who’ve returned home due to the pandemic. And, to while away the time spent within the cherry trees, Lara tells the story of Peter Duke, a now famous actor (think Clooney or Pitt) she briefly knew, and loved, before he became a star.
Conceptually, the novel is about the lives we lead, and the punctuation marks that define certain life chapters. It is about mining small moments of joy, in spite of (because of) catastrophe looming in the wings. It’s the story of Our Town, which you’ll desperately want to (re)read — if you haven’t already — after finishing Patchett’s latest masterpiece.
Why You Should Read It: “Tom Lake” acts as a reminder that not all love stories need to end with happily ever after to be fully appreciated. This isn’t a wistful novel, but one that pulls you in, seats you on a well-worn couch covered in dog fur and tea stains, that feels resolutely and proudly, like home.
Who It’s Not Right For: This book works for a bevy of readers, but those who may have recently lost a (grand)parent or parental figure might want to wait, if reading about thriving close bonds within those dynamics feels a little cruel given the absence you may be experiencing.
Who It’s Right For: Pretty much everyone else. Line on up!