Book Report

I bought the book, This is the Story of a Happy Marriage, on the recommendation of friends . . . and because I knew Ann Pachett to be a fine writer . . . and because I thought it would be a full-length narrative describing the condition of its title.

When I discovered that, instead, it is a collection of personal essays reflecting various periods and conditions of the author’s life, I was annoyed. So annoyed, I actually stopped reading it.

[At base, I wanted to read a full-length narrative about a happy marriage because I had not had one and do not expect to have one but still kind of want one although I would never admit it publically.]

Then I got some kind of flu and the only method I could think of to get better was to get as much rest as possible and I had just finished another book and needed something to read so I would stay in bed and rest and maybe recover from whatever was making me feel so lousy.

So I finished Ann Pachett’s book. And I’m glad … although I still have a sore throat and some vertigo. It’s a good book. And there is, toward the end of the book, a chapter on her happy marriage. Somewhat heartening.

But it has been a good lesson for me, on many levels. Number One: Don’t abandon things just because they are different than your expectations.

It’s true of books . . . and probably true of marriages as well.