These Precious Days by Ann Patchett

It could be that the last year and a half has left me nostalgic. It could be that Ann Patchett has a tremendous writing gift for making you feel like you are sitting at her kitchen table having coffee or at the bookstore like two old friends. Whatever the reason these essays spoke to me. I laughed nodding like a bobble head doll when she wrote of Snoopy, discovering the joy and sorrow of Kate DiCamillo's books, my crush Tom Hanks and traveling with a friend to Europe on the cheap. I cried and was jealous of the selflessness and kind heart that she and her husband had for Sooki who started as an email friend and became family. THESE PRECIOUS DAYS probably won't change your life, cure a deadly disease or stop a pandemic but her soothing, matter of fact writing style puts you at ease and makes you feel better about your own shortcomings as a human. If you are already part of her fan club, enjoy! If you are new to her writing or like me and not usually a reader of essays, prepare to change your tune.  5 stars