These Precious Days: Essays

These Precious Days (2021) is a collection of essays penned by Ann Patchett. The collection contains pieces written by Patchett during the coronavirus pandemic, as well as older, previously-published pieces that were reworked for this book. The title essay recounts her relationship with artist and friend Sooki Raphael. Through this essay and multiple others in the book, Patchett explores the theme of what is most precious in life; other themes explored include relationships and community and the importance of writing to her sense of identity.

Patchett is a critically-acclaimed American author who has penned multiple novels, such as Bel Canto (2001) and The Dutch House (2019), and works of non-fiction. She is the recipient of numerous awards, including England’s Orange Prize, the Harold D. Vursell Memorial Award from the American Academy of Arts and Letters, and a Guggenheim Fellowship. She is also the founder and co-owner of a bookstore, Parnassus, in Nashville, Tennessee.

This guide is based on the HarperCollins Kindle Edition.

Summary

These Precious Days is a collection of 24 essays, including the Introduction and Epilogue, through which Ann Patchett explores ideas about life, relationships, and writing.