"Commonwealth" by Ann Patchett

Commonwealth by Ann Patchett
Call Number: FICTION Patchett
The acclaimed, bestselling author--winner of the PEN/Faulkner Award and the Orange Prize--tells the enthralling story of how an unexpected romantic encounter irrevocably changes two families' lives. One Sunday afternoon in Southern California, Bert Cousins shows up at Franny Keating's christening party uninvited. Before evening falls, he has kissed Franny's mother, Beverly--thus setting in motion the dissolution of their marriages and the joining of two families. Spanning five decades, Commonwealth explores how this chance encounter reverberates through the lives of the four parents and six children involved. Spending summers together in Virginia, the Keating and Cousins children forge a lasting bond that is based on a shared disillusionment with their parents and the strange and genuine affection that grows up between them. When, in her twenties, Franny begins an affair with the legendary author Leon Posen and tells him about her family, the story of her siblings is no longer hers to control. Their childhood becomes the basis for his wildly successful book, ultimately forcing them to come to terms with their losses, their guilt, and the deeply loyal connection they feel for one another. Told with equal measures of humor and heartbreak, Commonwealth is a meditation on inspiration, interpretation, and the ownership of stories. It is a brilliant and tender tale of the far-reaching ties of love and responsibility that bind us together.

*ebook & audiobook on Libby
*ebook & audiobook on hoopla

Family Dynamics:
- How do the dynamics within the blended families portrayed in the novel compare to more traditional family structures?
- Discuss the impact of divorce and remarriage on the relationships between parents and children, as well as between step-siblings.
Narrative Structure:
- How does Patchett's non-linear narrative structure contribute to the exploration of memory and the passage of time in the novel?
- Consider how the shifting perspectives and timeline enhance the reader's understanding of the characters and their interconnected stories.
Themes of Betrayal and Forgiveness:
- Analyze instances of betrayal and forgiveness among the characters in the novel. How do these themes play out within the context of family relationships?
- Discuss how characters navigate the complexities of loyalty, honesty, and trust over the course of the story.
The Role of Literature:
- Discuss the significance of literature and storytelling within the novel, particularly the influence of Franny's book "Commonwealth" on the lives of the characters.
- How does the act of writing and storytelling serve as a form of catharsis or self-discovery for the characters?
Character Development:
- Trace the development of key characters throughout the novel. How do their experiences and relationships shape their growth and evolution?
- Consider how characters grapple with their pasts and strive to forge their own identities separate from family expectations.
Sense of Place:
- Explore the significance of the various settings in the novel, including California, Virginia, and the Commonwealth of Virginia.
- How do these physical locations shape the characters' sense of belonging and influence their life trajectories?
Parenting and Childhood:
- Analyze the different approaches to parenting depicted in the novel. How do parental decisions and actions impact the lives of their children?
- Discuss the theme of childhood resilience and the ways in which the characters navigate the challenges of growing up in dysfunctional or fractured families.
Grief and Loss:
- Examine how characters in the novel experience and cope with grief and loss, both individually and collectively.
- Discuss the ways in which shared experiences of loss can either bring characters closer together or drive them apart.
The Passage of Time:
- How does the novel explore the theme of time and its effects on relationships, memories, and personal growth?
- Consider how characters reflect on the past and confront the passage of time as they move through different stages of their lives.
Interconnectedness of Lives:
- Discuss how seemingly unrelated events and decisions have ripple effects that impact multiple characters across generations.
- Explore the ways in which the characters' lives intersect and overlap, shaping their shared history and collective identity.

Ann Patchett is a celebrated American author known for her novels, essays, and non-fiction works. Here's a brief biography of her:

Early Life and Education: Ann Patchett was born on December 2, 1963, in Los Angeles, California, and grew up in Nashville, Tennessee. She attended St. Bernard Academy, a Catholic girls' school in Nashville, where her mother taught kindergarten. Patchett later graduated from Sarah Lawrence College in New York with a degree in English.

Literary Career: Patchett's literary career began with her debut novel, "The Patron Saint of Liars," published in 1992. The novel received critical acclaim and established Patchett as a talented writer to watch. She followed this success with "Taft" in 1994 and "The Magician's Assistant" in 1997, further solidifying her reputation as a gifted storyteller.

In 2001, Patchett published her breakthrough novel, "Bel Canto," which won the PEN/Faulkner Award and the Orange Prize for Fiction, among other honors. The novel was inspired by the 1996 hostage crisis in Lima, Peru, and received widespread acclaim for its lyrical prose and rich character development.

Patchett continued to write prolifically, publishing novels such as "Run" (2007), "State of Wonder" (2011), and "Commonwealth" (2016), which further established her as a prominent voice in contemporary literature. "State of Wonder" was particularly well-received and was nominated for the Orange Prize for Fiction.

In addition to her novels, Patchett has written essays and non-fiction works that have appeared in publications such as The New York Times Magazine, Harper's Magazine, and The Atlantic. She is also the co-owner of Parnassus Books, an independent bookstore in Nashville.

Awards and Recognition: Throughout her career, Ann Patchett has received numerous awards and honors for her writing. In addition to the PEN/Faulkner Award and the Orange Prize for Fiction for "Bel Canto," she has been the recipient of the Guggenheim Fellowship, the Harold D. Vursell Memorial Award from the American Academy of Arts and Letters, and the Women's National Book Association Award.

Personal Life: Ann Patchett is known for her advocacy for independent bookstores and her support of the literary community. She is also an advocate for education and literacy programs, serving on the boards of various organizations dedicated to promoting literacy and the arts.

Patchett lives in Nashville, Tennessee, where she continues to write and contribute to the literary world through her novels, essays, and bookstore ownership.

The Last Romantics by Tara Conklin
Call Number: FICTION Conklin
When the renowned poet Fiona Skinner is asked about the inspiration behind her iconic work, The Love Poem, she tells her audience a story about her family and a betrayal that reverberates through time. It begins in a big yellow house with a funeral, an iron poker, and a brief variation forever known as the Pause: a free and feral summer in a middle-class Connecticut town. Caught between the predictable life they once led and an uncertain future that stretches before them, the Skinner siblings--fierce Renee, sensitive Caroline, golden boy Joe and watchful Fiona--emerge from the Pause staunchly loyal and deeply connected. Two decades later, the siblings find themselves once again confronted with a family crisis that tests the strength of these bonds and forces them to question the life choices they've made and ask what, exactly, they will do for love. A sweeping yet intimate epic about one American family, The Last Romantics is an unforgettable exploration of the ties that bind us together, the responsibilities we embrace and the duties we resent, and how we can lose--and sometimes rescue--the ones we love. A novel that pierces the heart and lingers in the mind, it is also a beautiful meditation on the power of stories--how they navigate us through difficult times, help us understand the past, and point the way toward our future.
The Paper Palace (Reese's Book Club) by Miranda Cowley Heller
Call Number: FICTION Cowley Heller
A story of summer, secrets, love, and lies: in the course of a singular day on Cape Cod, one woman must make a life-changing decision that has been brewing for decades. "This house, this place, knows all my secrets." It is a perfect August morning, and Elle, a fifty-year-old happily married mother of three, awakens at "The Paper Palace"--the family summer place which she has visited every summer of her life. But this morning is different: last night Elle and her oldest friend Jonas crept out the back door into the darkness and had sex with each other for the first time, all while their spouses chatted away inside. Now, over the next twenty-four hours, Elle will have to decide between the life she has made with her genuinely beloved husband, Peter, and the life she always imagined she would have had with her childhood love, Jonas, if a tragic event hadn't forever changed the course of their lives. As Heller colors in the experiences that have led Elle to this day, we arrive at her ultimate decision with all its complexity. Tender yet devastating, The Paper Palace considers the tensions between desire and dignity, the legacies of abuse, and the crimes and misdemeanors of families.
Ask Again, Yes by Mary Beth Keane
Call Number: FICTION Keane
A family saga about two Irish American families in a New York suburb, the love between two of their children, and the tragedies that threaten to tear them apart and destroy their futures"-- Provided by publisher.
Francis Gleeson and Brian Stanhope are two NYPD rookies assigned to the same Bronx precinct in 1973. They aren't close friends on the job, but end up living next door to each other outside the city. What goes on behind closed doors in both houses--the loneliness of Francis's wife, Lena, and the instability of Brian's wife, Anne, sets the stage for the stunning events to come. Ask Again, Yes by award-winning author Mary Beth Keane, is a beautifully moving exploration of the friendship and love that blossoms between Francis's youngest daughter, Kate, and Brian's son, Peter, who are born six months apart. In the spring of Kate and Peter's eighth grade year a violent event divides the neighbors, the Stanhopes are forced to move away, and the children are forbidden to have any further contact. But Kate and Peter find a way back to each other, and their relationship is tested by the echoes from their past. Ask Again, Yes reveals how the events of childhood look different when reexamined from the distance of adulthood--villains lose their menace, and those who appeared innocent seem less so. Kate and Peter's love story is marked by tenderness, generosity, and grace.
Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng
Call Number: FICTION Ng
In Shaker Heights, a placid, progressive suburb of Cleveland, everything is planned--from the layout of the winding roads, to the colors of the houses, to the successful lives its residents will go on to lead. And no one embodies this spirit more than Elena Richardson, whose guiding principle is playing by the rules. Enter Mia Warren--an enigmatic artist and single mother--who arrives in this idyllic bubble with her teenaged daughter Pearl, and rents a house from the Richardsons. Soon Mia and Pearl become more than tenants: all four Richardson children are drawn to the mother-daughter pair. But Mia carries with her a mysterious past and a disregard for the status quo that threatens to upend this carefully ordered community. When old family friends of the Richardsons attempt to adopt a Chinese-American baby, a custody battle erupts that dramatically divides the town--and puts Mia and Elena on opposing sides. Suspicious of Mia and her motives, Elena is determined to uncover the secrets in Mia's past. But her obsession will come at unexpected and devastating costs. Little Fires Everywhere explores the weight of secrets, the nature of art and identity, and the ferocious pull of motherhood--and the danger of believing that following the rules can avert disaster.
A Spool of Blue Thread by Anne Tyler
Call Number: FICTION Tyler
"It was a beautiful, breezy, yellow-and-green afternoon. . ." This is how Abby Whitshank always begins the story of how she fell in love with Red that day in July 1959. The Whitshanks are one of those families that radiate togetherness: an indefinable, enviable kind of specialness. But they are also like all families, in that the stories they tell themselves reveal only part of the picture. Abby and Red and their four grown children have accumulated not only tender moments, laughter, and celebrations, but also jealousies, disappointments, and carefully guarded secrets. From Red's father and mother, newly arrived in Baltimore in the 1920s, to Abby and Red's grandchildren carrying the family legacy boisterously into the twenty-first century, here are four generations of Whitshanks, their lives unfolding in and around the sprawling, lovingly worn Baltimore house that has always been their anchor. Brimming with all the insight, humor, and generosity of spirit that are the hallmarks of Anne Tyler's work, A Spool of Blue Thread tells a poignant yet unsentimental story in praise of family in all its emotional complexity. It is a novel to cherish.

Islington Branch Book Club - Past Titles: "Commonwealth" by Ann Patchett

"Commonwealth" by Ann Patchett

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