I have to confess to a weakness for memoirs by novelists, biographers, publishers, even booksellers...?

This is a great book to dip into whenever there's a quiet moment or the need for a change of pace as it's a collection of essays rather than a continuous narrative.

And it gives a fascinating insight into her writing career as well as her personal life, relationships and childhood memories. It also introduces the bookshop she bought in Nashville, America - and if you take a look at pictures of this store, my, it's impressive. It looks amazing!

If you love Ann Patchett's novels, this book will also help you understand what inspired some of her storylines, particularly in her later work - her tumultuous childhood, her divorce and her eventual happy marriage. She shares something of the excitement of selling her first book, the experience of driving a Winnebago across America, and her discovery of opera. There's much to enjoy here, not least her warm and engaging writing.