A Reese Witherspoon Book Club Pick I had been so engaged by Ann Patchett s multifaceted story so lured in by her confiding voice that I forgot I was on the job. [...] As the best personal essays often do Patchett s is a two-way mirror reflecting both the author and her readers. -- New York Times Book Review Blending literature and memoir New York Times bestselling author Ann Patchett author of State of Wonder Run and Bel Canto examines her deepest commitments--to writing family friends dogs books and her husband--creating a resonant portrait of a life in This is the Story of a Happy Marriage. Stretching from her childhood to the present day from a disastrous early marriage to a later happy one This is the Story of a Happy Marriage covers a multitude of topics including relationships with family and friends and charts the hard work and joy of writing and the unexpected thrill of opening a bookstore. As she shares stories of the people places ideals and art to which she has remained indelibly committed Ann Patchett brings into focus the large experiences and small moments that have shaped her as a daughter wife and writer.