These Precious Days: Essays

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There is Tom Hanks’s deceased assistant, Sooki Raphael, protagonist of the title essay that went viral a few months ago when it was published by Harper’s, who had gone to Nashville for her chemotherapy and ended up staying with Patchett during the lockdown.

I came back from Virginia and took Sooki to see the daffodils at the botanical garden, but we were too early. Most mornings, Sooki set out in the darkness to walk the two miles to a power-yoga class that started at six-thirty, despite the presence of my car keys on the kitchen counter and explicit instructions to drive. On our fourth date, I looked at him across the table in the restaurant…But what did life ever come to without a few risks? Illuminating, penetrating, funny and generous, 'These Precious Days' is joyful time spent in the company of one of our greatest living authors. It’s like you’re going home to the Ukraine for the first time in ten years,” I said as we loaded up coolers and bags.

A year and a half had passed since I had picked up his book in my office, and this was where it had taken me: Tom Hanks was willing to read The Dutch House. Sweetest Ann, I am traveling today—just for the day—up to Stanford for a second opinion, with the magician’s elephant in my carry-on bag.

it will take some scheduling, and thus, she finally begins a conversation and relationship with Sooki. Had it been a bad book or just a good-enough book, I would have put it down, but page after page it surprised me.You look so much alike,' the nurse would say quietly, not wanting to disturb us more than we were already disturbed. She’s kind, hospitable and a loyal and true friend - in fact, at the end of reading this I want her to befriend me! When Patchett learns that the only treatment trial for Raphael's newly diagnosed pancreatic cancer is at a Nashville hospital, she invites her to live with her and her husband during the treatment. What I’ll take away from this is a feeling of warmth that emanates from the author and how she is prepared to stand up for what she thinks is right.