“Tom Lake” by Ann Patchett
Full disclosure- I prefer non-fiction to fiction when it comes to my reading choices. The lives of “real” people are invariably more interesting and dramatic than the characters created by even the most gifted novelist. Biographies, history, politics, culture, society, entertainment and sports dominate my study shelves and Kindle library. However, diversity is the spice of life and I do make periodic, if intense, forays into the fiction milieu. Generally, when the daily barrage of depressing news triggers an urge to abandon reality. When it comes to selecting appropriate novels, my criteria is straightforward. First, I review the annual year end “Best Books” lists issued by the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal and The Economist. They are rigorous. Any novel that qualifies for ALL three of these lists is added to my reading queue. My second method is to identify an award winning author, read their most famous book and, if I enjoy it, binge on the remainder of their writings in a concentrated time frame. During the Covid lockdowns, I devoured the works of Philip Roth, Kazuo Ishiguro and John Banville (an Irishman who should win the Nobel Prize for Literature). I was captivated by all three of these literary geniuses.
Today’s book is a product of Method 1- a 2023 Best Book from the NYT, WSJ and Economist. Tom Lake is authored by Ann Patchett. She has a sterling reputation in literary and commercial circles, but this is my first experience with her work. Tom Lake is her ninth novel in a 20 years. She has also published non fiction- including the highly praised My Precious Friend. She has won the Women’s Prize for Fiction, the Pen-Faulkner Prize and was a Pulitzer Prize finalist for Dutch House. She has a dedicated and loyal following and I suspect her work is a popular option for women’s book clubs all over the country. I am pleased to report that Tom Lake is a good read and I recommend it to the general reader. It is not simply “chick lit.” I enjoyed it enough to activate stage 2 of my methodology and will now read 2-3 of her earlier works. She got my attention!
Patchett wrote this book during Covid and the primary characters are a small nuclear family bonding during the forced intimacy of the lockdowns. Lara, the mother is our primary narrator. Her three adult daughters, Emily, Nell and Maisel are in their 20’s. Joe, the husband and father, owns and manages the family fruit farm in northern Michigan. We learn the farm has been in the family for generations. There is a dedicated family cemetery on the property! Patchett draws a vivid picture of the land. It is idyllic and peaceful. Rural USA. The cherry and apple orchards support a “comfortable” if unspectacular lifestyle for the owners. The reader is at ease with the physical setting of the novel from the very outset.
The story is simple- not overwhelmed by an abundance of characters. A dual narrative- divided among two timeframes; today where we absorb the daily trials and tribulations of the principals, and thirty years prior- where the secrets of Lara’s youth are gradually revealed through the persistent inquisition of her daughters. Without betraying the essential plot line (an irritating habit of many reviewers who forget most of their audience hasn’t read the book yet), I provide the following outline. Lara is a New Hampshire native- a standard issue American teenager in the early 1990’s- who embarks on a radical life change when she stars as Emily in her high school’s production of Thornton Wilders’ classic, Our Town. Her brilliance in the role leads to her “being discovered” - screen tests in Hollywood, TV and movie roles, an occasional commercial, Broadway auditions and eventually reprising the Emily role at a summer theatre festival in Michigan - at Tom Lake. The spirited cross examination by the daughters captures Lara’s lifepath- her friendships, lovers, passions, successes, failures, betrayals and finally how Joe enters the picture and how the heck they ended up on this farm. We meet the community theatre players and Patchett is adept at making these people come into focus. They are a fun group. Several return to the story at different points in Lara’s life- one key figure in particular- and we get a glimpse of how things turned out. Were ambitions realised? Any regrets along the way? Simultaneously, we discover the hopes and fears of the daughters. We also get a sense of what makes Joe tick although his role may be underwritten. The pacing works well and you are never confused by the alternating time frames.
The prose is soothing, comfortable, lyrical and often bittersweet. The main players are complicated, flawed and imperfect, but the tone is optimistic. There are no pure villains. People can be generous, humans can be kind and decent, life can be rewarding, happiness is possible, choices matter and learn to value what you have- who knew Covid could produce such a positive message. Montaigne would like these people. America seems civil! Plus, a travel promotion for Michigan. Please add to your midwest travel bucket list. The book may not challenge you a ton, but there is no harm leaving the text with a reassuring vibe about what this whole life thing is about!
