Run - Ann Patchett

With her beautiful prose and magical story telling talent, Ann Patchett has created yet another wonderful work of fiction with her novel Run.


“Since their mother's death, Tip and Teddy Doyle have been raised by their loving, possessive, and ambitious father. As the former mayor of Boston, Bernard Doyle wants to see his sons in politics, a dream the boys have never shared. But when an argument in a blinding New England snowstorm inadvertently causes an accident that involves a stranger and her child, all Bernard Doyle cares about is his ability to keep his children—all his children—safe.”


I loved this book – was enthralled throughout. In the course of twenty-four hours, we meet and become immersed in the lives and stories of so many wonderful characters. Patchett captures the essence and emotional depth of each one.

Other novels produce fascinating characters, but Patchett introduced me to people I would love to know. They became real for me. They are flawed, human - and they evoked my sympathy, empathy and admiration. All of them.

Two seemingly disconnected families converge at the scene of an accident. And while the accident itself is definitely accidental, the convergence is not. These families are connected – through birth, love and an entangled past. The origins and ramifications of this connection are explored in that twenty-four hour period.

What constitutes a family? What is mother love and how powerful is it? How far will a loving devoted father go to have his children fulfill his dreams?

The story explores such themes as nature vs. nurture, wealth and poverty, race, religion, adoption, one’s place in a family and coping with loss.

What an amazing, talented author. And wonder of wonders, there are books of hers I have yet to read!


(Has anyone yet noticed my penchant for novels with a family based theme? I’ve been this way since I was a kid. I’ve had to stifle the urge to write a review of Laura Ingalls Wilder’s Little House on the Prairie Series…)