Cannonball Read 18

Sticking It to Cancer One Book at a Time

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A Sprint to the Finish

Run by Ann Patchett

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On a snowy night, Bernard Doyle, the former mayor of Boston, drags his two adopted sons to a lecture by Jesse Jackson, Sr. Doyle is white and his sons, Tip and Teddy, are black, but Doyle is by far the most interested in Jackson’s lecture. Tip would much rather be back in the ichthyology  lab with his fish samples, and Teddy would rather be visiting his great-uncle John, a retired priest recently in the news for supposedly curing the sick. Outside the lecture hall, a […]

Putting the IN in Introvert and the Ex…. never mind….

The Verts: A Story of Introverts and Extrovert by Ann Patchett

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I know little to nothing about the author Ann Patchett. I’ve heard they are: YES BEST EVER! And they are: NO DON’T READ EVER! I leave it up to you to decide if The Verts: A Story of Introverts and Extroverts by Patchett is for you. Due in mid-September 2024, I read this picture book via an online reader copy. I had debated if I wanted to read it as the subject is one I care about, but am very picky about how it is […]

“…but the losses were as solid and dependable as the Earth itself.”

Commonwealth by Ann Patchett

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My book club chose Commonwealth (2016) by Ann Patchett ages ago, but it was a meeting I couldn’t make. So when I ran out of time, I skipped the book entirely. However, because I’ve enjoyed other books by Patchett, I decided to pick this one up as an Audiobook. I’ve enjoyed every book by Patchett that I’ve read, and Commonwealth is no exception. Although, this one is not quite at the top of my Patchett list, it is memorable. I appreciate Patchett’s realistically drawn characters and nuanced family drama. […]

Meryl Streep could have been a movie star

Tom Lake by Ann Patchett

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After a very good experience listening to Tom Hanks read The Dutch House by Ann Patchett, I was ready for another. It just so happened that Tom Lake (2023) was on a number of Best Book Lists from 2023, so my next Patchett book was an easy decision. I think the author must have some pull with her narrators because the one and only Meryl Streep reads the Tom Lake audiobook, and it’s not surprising that she does a great job. I think it’s my favorite book by Ann Patchett. Lara […]

The Worst Party Crashers Ever

Bel Canto by Ann Patchett

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The government of a South American country believes they can convince a Japanese business to build a new factory in their country and boost their sagging economy. They invite him to celebrate his birthday in their capital, and have arranged a unique and personal gift for the occasion: his favorite opera singer will be in attendance and give a private performance for the occasion. Though Mr. Hosokawa has no intention of building the factory they want, he can’t turn down the chance to meet Roxanne […]

Fixer-Upper

The Dutch House by Ann Patchett

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The titular house is an old mansion in the Philadelphia suburbs, where Danny Conroy and his older sister Maeve grew up with their father Cyril, an emotionally distant real-estate magnate. Their mother is off in parts unknown, having left when Danny was a very young boy. Maeve picks up their father’s slack and become a sort of second mother to Danny, far more so than the woman Cyril makes his second wife. Their stepmother comes into the marriage with two daughters of their own, and her […]



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