In this episode we read the book By Any other Name.

In this episode, we’ll unpack the novel’s emotional depth, its dual timelines, and the way Picoult once writing on identity, truth, and the stories we tell—both about ourselves and the people we love.

Whether you’re a longtime Picoult fan or discovering her work for the first time, this discussion will give you a richer understanding of the themes, characters, and craft behind the book.

If you’ve read the novel, we’d love to hear your take. If you haven’t, consider this your spoiler-friendly guide to whether it might be the right fit for you.

So get comfortable, grab your headphones, and let’s step into a world where history, art, and personal revelation collide in unexpected ways.

In this episode, we read the final four essays from the book This is the story of a Happy Marriage by Ann Patchett.

We have had an incredible time reading this book and her essays from various points of time in Ann's life.

The essays so well written, succinct and emotive that we have laughed and cried with Ann.

In this episode we continue to read about Ann Patchett's book This is the story of a Happy Marriage.

Essay 16 'THE BEST AMERICAN SHORT STORIES 2006' is about Ann Patchett's belief that the short stories are relevant, interesting and here to stay. Patchett believes the short stories are here to stay and we agree.

Essay 18 is also related to Essay 16 - The bookshop strikes back. Ann Patchett suddenly found one day that her town, Nashville, Tennessee, no less, had no bookshops (other than a used bookshop and stores like Target). Apparently the last one to go – an independent that had been bought out by a chain – had been profitable “but not profitable enough”. Patchett’s discovery, albeit on a smaller scale, replicates the situation at many cities. She laughs that on the day the bookshop opened in November 2011, the New York Times ran a story with a picture of her on page A1, something that her agent and publisher would never expect to achieve on the basis of her role as a literary novelist. We hope she’s right – but we need more brave (or blithe) booksellers and more readers who want the personal touch, because, after all, we are in this together.

Essay no. 19 is Love sustained is about her love and her relationship with her grandmother. This is very touching essay and strikes home for us. We all love her writing in this essay and emotions it brings out in us while she is simply stating her feelings.