Tom Lake

Bookseller recommendation

“Perfect book, perfect reader in Meryl Streep! Patchett's lovely book about a protagonist's tale to her daughters about a long-ago life in the theater and love affair with a now-famous actor is beautifully narrated. Streep 'gets' and delivers each sentence with a rare humor and poignancy. It's better than a night at the theater!”

— Kelly • Raven Book Store

Bookseller recommendation

“I finished listening to Tom Lake. I can see why it’s at the top of the best seller list. Ann Patchett has a way of weaving so much into a straightforward story. Set during the pandemic, Lara’s three adult daughters have returned to the family’s cherry orchard in Michigan to quarantine and harvest the fruit. Lara entertains them by sharing the story of her acting career and brief relationship with a man who went on to be a movie star. I still prefer her essays and Bel Canto, but this story is quite enjoyable. ”

— Amy • A Great Good Place for Books

Bookseller recommendation

“I'm pretty sure we could listen to Meryl Streep read the phone book. Lucky for us, she is reading the latest novel by the incomparable Ann Patchett. Tom Lake is both a snapshot of time suspended during the pandemic, and a coming of age tale. I couldn't bear to speed up any of it, because the listening experience was so enjoyable. ”

— Kelli • The Novel Neighbor

Bookseller recommendation

“This beautiful story takes place during the pandemic, and during this time Lara's three daughters have returned home to the family farm. Lara begins telling her life story and her daughters' story weaves throughout. Beautifully written and Meryl Streep is a fantastic narrator. I loved this beautiful story! ”

— Dani • Bright Side Bookshop

Bookseller recommendation

“Does anyone *need* to be encouraged to listen to Meryl Streep read Ann Patchett? Probably not. But Streep, you’ll be unsurprised to hear, does a magnificent job with the nostalgia, the nuance and the Our Town of it all, bringing Patchett’s vivid past-and-present story to unforgettable life. ”

— Abby • Booked

Bookseller recommendation

“Patchett’s new one soars. A cherry farmer’s daughters pester her about a time in her youth when she acted on screen in Hollywood and on stage at the dreamy Tom Lake resort. Mom holds her secrets close, but gradually reveals the mysterious details of her relationship with the famous, super star actor, Peter Duke. Vivid flashbacks, intriguing reveals and scrumptious settings make it an extra good read! ”

— Patience • Underground Books

Bookseller recommendation

“In Tom Lake by Anne Patchett a mother tells her grown (or nearly grown) daughters of a summer long before she was married when she had an affair with a now famous actor when they stared together in a summer production of Our Town. Patchett interlaces the tale of the pas - told to the girls while they pick cherries on the family farm during the pandemic - with present moments, letting us get to know Lara and her fledging daughters. It is a story about storytelling and love of all kinds; maternal, marital, fleeting, abiding. It’s a rumination on place and where we find ourselves, about secret pasts and unknowable futures. I loved that it was sweet but not saccharine and while it could be described as quiet it held several surprises. ”

— Sarah • A Great Good Place for Books

Bookseller recommendation

“I just finished listening to Tom Lake by Ann Patchett and I cannot say enough good things about this book! How I have not discovered Ann Patchett before, I will never know, but this book had me in so many feelings over the past 10 days. Set during the pandemic on a Michigan cherry farm, the family is working hard picking cherries and keeping the farm going during unprecedented times. As they work, the 3 adult daughters ask their mom to tell them the story of the famous movie star that she shared the stage and a relationship with back in her youth. Meryl Streep brings the characters to life and I felt like I was picking cherries right there with them, a part of the family. I felt nostalgia for a life that I never lived, for the life my own mother lived before me, and for my life before my daughter and how her understanding of me will change as she grows. I felt like I was the daughter, coming to the realization of the humanity of my parents in a way kids don't really understand themselves until they are older. If felt like I was the mother who lived, loved, lost, learned, and grew before my own daughter was born. I wanted to call up my mom and propose we go pick cherries so she can tell me about her young adult life and I could understand her soul the way I understood Lara's.”

— Jean • Books on Main

Bookseller recommendation

“This is a heartwarming story, about likeable people, who figured out what was important in life and chose not glitter but substance. A lovely story.”

— Deon • Sunriver Books & Music

Bookseller recommendation

“With Ann Patchett's writing and Meryl Streep's narration, this is the perfect storm of awesomeness! I loved every second of this book! ”

— Kimberly • Volumes Bookcafe

Bookseller recommendation

“Wonderful little slice of life about a mother sharing her youth with her three daughters. A book you can reread as you age and get something new out of it each time. ”

— Hannah • The Bookies Bookstore

Bookseller recommendation

“Tom Lake by Ann Patchett is a thoughtful exploration of family, memory, and love. The novel offers a quiet reflection on how our choices shape our lives. It is an engaging novel that invites contemplation and a deeper appreciation for life's small moments.”

— Keith • Republic of Letters