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What now?x$4.59
  (19 reviews)
Best Price: $4.59
Based on her lauded commencement address at Sarah Lawrence College, this stirring essay by bestselling author Ann Patchett offers hope and inspiration for anyone at a crossroads, whether graduating, changing careers, or transitioning from one life stage to another. With wit and candor, Patchett tells her own story of attending college, graduating, and struggling with the inevitable question, What now? From student to line cook to teacher to waitress and eventually to award-winning author, Patchett's own life has taken many twists and turns that make her exploration genuine and resonant. As Patchett writes, "'What now?' represents our excitement and our future, the very vitality of life." She highlights the possibilities the unknown offers and reminds us that there is as much joy in the journey as there is in reaching the destination. Based on her lauded commencement address at Sarah Lawrence College, this stirring essay by bestselling author Ann Patchett offers hope and inspiration for anyone at a crossroads, whether graduating, changing careers, or transitioning from one life stage to another. With wit and candor, Patchett tells her own story of attending college, graduating, and struggling with the inevitable question, What now? From student to line cook to teacher to waitress and eventually to award-winning author, Patchett's own life has taken many twists and turns that make her exploration genuine and resonant. As Patchett writes, "'What now?' represents our excitement and our future, the very vitality of life." She highlights the possibilities the unknown offers and reminds us that there is as much joy in the journey as there is in reaching the destination. As Luck Would Have It: An Essay by Ann Patchett  Writing a book isn’t the kind of thing I do without knowing it. I’ve written five novels and a memoir. I’m working on another novel now. I’m closely acquainted with a process which consists of the search for a good idea followed by a lot of hard work. But the creation of What now? was more akin to finding a baby under a cabbage leaf than it was an act of labor and delivery. If someone hadn’t pointed it out to me, I feel certain I would have walked right by it. What now? started out as the commencement address I gave at Sarah Lawrence College (my alma mater) in May of 2006. I make a lot of speeches and for the most part I talk off the cuff, a knack I picked up in high school as a forensics and debate champ. The only speeches I write in advance are the ones given for convocations and graduations because I’ve found that people like to keep a copy as part of the memorabilia of the day. I had originally composed a very dull and ponderous talk for the occasion because I wanted to sound smart (I was going back to college, after all) but as luck would have it, I ran into my friend and former writing teacher Allan Gurganus just before the big day. When I showed him the speech I planned to give, he sent me back to my desk to start over again. Every sentence regarding this book could begin with the phrase, As luck would have it... If I hadn’t shown my speech to Allan, who hadn’t looked over my homework in more than twenty years, I would have been just another boring graduation speaker. But Allan set me on a new course, telling me to talk about myself, my work, and my own struggles, the exact topics I had wanted to avoid. I hope that I will never be too grown up or successful to disregard good advice when I hear it, and this was good advice. I went back to work. The new speech, delivered in a giant tent during a crashing thunderstorm, seemed to hit all the right notes. The graduates broke into cheering bedlam, my back was slapped many times, and I marked the day down as a good one. End of story. Except, as luck would have it, copies of the speech started making the rounds, and it wound up in the hands of an editor who thought it would make a fine little book in the tradition of Anna Quindlen’s triumph, A Short Guide to a Happy Life. Once again, not my idea, but one worth listening to. The new format gave me the extra room that graduation speeches don’t allow (nobody likes a long-winded speaker) and Chip Kidd’s brilliant design gave additional resonance to my words. I looked at the end result with no small amount of wonder. When the first copy came in the mail, I gave it to my 86 year old mother-in-law who was visiting from Mississippi. After she read it, she said she wanted copies for all of her friends. "We’re going through a real period of What now? ourselves," she told me. "At our age we’re all wondering what’s going to happen next. The question is always there. It’s just that sometimes you hear it a little louder." "Wow," I said. "That’s really good. I wish we could have used that on the jacket." It is my sincere hope that my mother-in-law is right, and this book will serve a purpose not just for graduation, but for life. Given its history, it seems that anything is possible.
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Customer Reviews
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"What now is always going to be a work in progress."
By AC1K4OQOZ90RS on 2008-05-08
It's that time of year again. The advent of spring brings warmer weather, budding trees, gorgeous new flowers, and commencement exercises. Ann Patchett's "What Now?" is an essay based on an address that she delivered to a group of freshly minted graduates at Sarah Lawrence College, her alma mater.
In a postscript, Ann admits that her first draft was a disaster. She was saved from humiliation by the advice of her former college professor, who warned her that she had better start over again. Her speech should be much more personal. "It should be about me," Ann writes, "my time in college, my life as a writer. He said it should be funny." So she rewrote the whole thing after staring into space for a while (a good way to get the juices flowing, Patchett assures us).
Most of us can relate to Ann's words about the swift passage of time, the weird twists and turns that lead us down unanticipated paths, and the ingenuousness of youth. "Even if you have it all together you can't know where you're going to end up." She describes the loneliness that she felt as a seventeen year old from Tennessee during the days before email and text-messaging connected people electronically. Long-distance phone calls were prohibitively expensive, so Ann had to fall back on old-fashion methods of communication. Remember letter writing? By sending missives to her family and friends, Ann says, "I learned how to transfer the contents of my heart onto a piece of paper." This "proved as instructive to me as any writing class."
Fortunately, Ann's Catholic school background prepared her well. She already knew all about humility and reaching out to others, and these qualities helped set her on the right path. One of the first friends she made at Sarah Lawrence was Alice Ilchman, the new president of the school, and a woman whom she would grow to love dearly. Another lesson that Ann passes on is one that I, as a librarian, have known for a long time. "Pay attention to the things [you'll] probably never need to know...listen carefully to the people who look as if they have nothing to teach [you]... see school as something that goes on everywhere...." Never underestimate the value of listening. Even Ann's work as a line cook and waitress were useful in making her the person she aspired to be. At a time when so many distractions demand our attention, including our kids, our jobs, events of the world--Patchett recommends that we occasionally welcome "stillness, silence, and studied consideration." Sometimes we have to let the answers come to us rather than frantically hunt them down.
"What Now?" is a lovely little book that works because the author tells us what we know in our hearts to be true in a way that is gentle, funny, and beautifully expressed. The art consists of black and white photos of jigsaw puzzles, people standing before closed doors, individuals wending their way through mazes, footprints in the sand, and lots of road signs. This small volume would serve nicely as a gift for your favorite high school or college graduate. Let some young person know that "what now...is a declaration of possibility, of promise, of chance." I have always been sentimental at commencements, and the idea "that at every point in our development we are still striving to grow" still fills me with wonder.
Touching and Meaningful
By A4DGBP5R0WS7V on 2008-04-28
After seeing Maria Shriver on Oprah taling about her book, I decided to buy it. Then I stumbled across What Now? I love Ann Patchett's novels so I thought I'd try this book, too. I am so glad I did. This book makes you think back on experiences in your own life that have made you into who you are today. It makes you realize that it is not too late to make new choices each day in how you look at things, react to them and learn from them. It helped me to remember how much of an impact we can all have on each other. Plus, it made me cry . . . in a good way. Which for me, is a good thing.
A Book for Grads and the Rest of Us
By ALUJ15UFI1422 on 2008-05-16
For some reason, I kept seeing What Now? by Ann Patchett; I saw it at Barnes and Noble, I saw the book on the page at Amazon where my book is sold ("customers who have bought this book have also bought...,") and so I read it.
Turns out, Patchett's alma mater was Sarah Lawrence College--just like me--and we graduated a year apart! What Now? is an expanded version of the commencement speech Patchett delivered at Sarah Lawrence College. The speech is based on the author's personal experiences and what she has learned from them. It was emotional and greatly enjoyable reading about her experiences at Sarah Lawrence and even TGI Fridays, where we both waited tables.
Patchett recounts the story about how she met and became friends with the president of Sarah Lawrence, Alice Ilchman. The unexpected encounter and subsequent friendship become an important part of Patchett's life and she shares this in her book.
She writes of the incident: "Sometimes circumstances at hand force us to be braver then we actually are, and so we knock on doors and ask for assistance. Sometimes not having any idea where we're going works out better than we could possibly have imagined."
What Now? is filled with wisdom, humor and beautifully told stories of Patchett's life. It is an optimistic but realistic look at life and should do a great job of easing any fears that young people experience when faced with the "real world" after graduation.
What Now? advises to listen to other people and to do so without judgment, for wisdom comes from everywhere and everyone and can happen at any time. She writes, "the secret is to keep adding voices, adding ideas, and moving things around as you put together your life. If you're lucky, putting together your life is a process that will last though every single day you're alive."
I will be giving this book to my oldest friend's daughter (along with Just Who Will You Be?: Big Question. Little Book. Answer Within. (ROUGHCUT) who will be graduating college this Saturday, but I recommend it to people of all ages.
By the author of the award winning book, Harmonious Environment: Beautify, Detoxify and Energize Your Life, Your Home and Your Planet.
I loved this book!
By A27AO6QNZ9PJ9Y on 2008-04-16
Absolutely wonderful! I couldn't put it down until I had finished the whole thing. The audio book is nice too as Patchett reads it herself. A must-read!
Very Good
By A2R8OP9J5XMJFR on 2008-04-21
Kinda reminds me of the book Mr Instability... Mr Instability, not as funny though about how people who try to better themselves. I think reading stories of other people journeys is truely inspirational and gives me courage to do the same. Thanks Ann and Tom.
- Nice graduation present
By A2U51FCM78WIPK on 2008-05-18
I like the way it addresses in a reassuring way the frustration and pressure a graduate feels when they're bombarded with well-meaning peoples unending questions; where are you going to college, what are you going to do now? blah, blah, blah -- A cool book. Bought it for my cool daughter !
- Thoughtful, but not as resonating as it should be
By A2U333FZRIKUSC on 2008-07-09
"What now?" is the extended version of Ann Patchett's graduation speech at Sarah Lawrence College. In a nutshell, Patchett uses her life story to make the slightly overmade point that we should embrace the uncertainty and change we face. Patchett's points are original enough--they are a bit clichéd, but they are put here in poignant form, as Patchett is a master at language. But as with Patchett's fiction, she dots around beautifully for many pages, but never really settles down with some great conclusion or moral. Thus, the book ends up feeling very thin. That's partially because it is thin--only 97 small pages, with oversized font. But it also is heavy on the details of her life journeys and very light on the meaning of it. In a book that's supposedly inspirational, I would've liked to have been inspired more. I don't really a care about every little step along her way.
I'm sure it was a great graduation speech. It's a great coffee table book. But it's not a book to live your life by.
- Nothin Comes From Nothin
By A37UXQ0JLQOO0F on 2008-08-04
Somebody gave this to me. I have been down on my back for a month or so - lost my jobs - i had a few and have been struggling to make ends meet so my sponser haned this to me casue she thought it woudl make me feel better. my whole life people have tried to help me by handing me books and gicving me lectures but no one ever relaly gives me the help i need - i need money and a job and a way to lose the weight and stay off disability and then here comes some succesful lady tellin me to make choices and hang in there and anything I want i can have as long as i listen to the news and get out there and get it done - but no one thigks about folks like me - I was abused every second of my life since I was a kid - by priests and teachers and the system everybody takin a piece from tonya wantin something for nothin - I was on drugs and sold myself for nothin but I got wise - i had to run away from a man - and then I had to get lots of different jobs to help my kids who don;t even speak to me anymore - but I stayed the course and tried to be string . but I give up when everyone I know accuse me of stealing from them - at jobs - I closed up one night and forgot to take the deposit to a bank so all of a sudden I am in jail for the 5th time and nobody cares. So this lady cna wriote her book and talk to the young ladies at some fancy school but here in the projects i am keepin it real and trying to live another day without getting readdicted to painkillers and tryin to look for a job when nobody wants me - so keep on talkin ann - the people who really need help dont go to soome fancy school - an if you saw me on the street - with my walker and my oxygen - i know you'd walk on past
- Just too good
By A355EH7UX4YNX0 on 2008-04-23
You will want to keep the book eventhough you already got a free read at the bookstore, cause that's what I did :-)
- Good book for the graduate
By AXDI7SSVP9VMZ on 2008-05-29
This is a highly recommended book by librarians for the upcoming graduate. I purchased it for my daughter who is set to graduate soon in hopes of it building the courage in her to continue to move forward and set her next life goals. This is a great read for those who are enbarking on their next adventure in life-the work force-especially in todays world.
- Good book!
By A2M8CWCGNXV6QJ on 2008-06-20
I would read anything Ann Patchett writes! I listened to this audio version of her book -- short and sweet and nice that she is the reader. She has a great voice. Very nice story.
- Short and Sweet
By A1OHEWRBK1DEF2 on 2008-07-08
Summer time and the reading is easy; barely 100 pages, "What Now" is based on Ann Patchett's commencement address at Sarah Lawrence, is a quick morning read and seems to me like a nice gift for a graduate.
The title intrigued me as I am often asking myself a similar question maybe even as a method to embrace uncertainty by at least taking the next step, especially when it comes to vocation. Ann expresses gratitude for where she is at when, a life lesson taught her through experience that married well with her Catholic school through MFA formal education. I appreciated the vignette about working as a waitress and a dishwasher, acknowledging the opportunity this afforded her and the teamwork required to assure it especially in an age of unrealistic independence. She further shows her commitment to others by responding to her mentor's advice to rewrite her graduation speech.
Here we have the chance to remind ourselves how possibility feels and how important it is to help each other receive possibility along the way. There are some interesting black and white photos herein as well.
- Thought-provoking and contemplative
By A3RYBMVQNIU3R1 on 2008-07-12
I really enjoyed this speech-turned-essay. So many wonderful morsels of wisdom to "chew on". She shares a few personal anecdotes, but does not make the speech about herself. It is inspiring and contemplative, encouraging her audience to look inward for happiness; and then sharing it with the world.
Because it was a commencement speech that she have at her alma mater, it is almost guaranteed that it will remind you of your college/university days. Unfortunately, I don't remember anything about the commencement speech at my college graduation, so I will keep this one in mind.
I see it becoming a bestseller gift around high school and college graduations in May and June of each year, alongside Dr. Seuss's "Oh, The Places You Will Go!"
- For grads, parents, and fans of Anna Patchett
By A2S6O8PT23NB2T on 2008-07-13
I was interested in reading this edited and longer version of a graduation speech by Ann Patchett because of her perceptive writing style in the novel Bel Canto. Her newest book reveals personal experiences that shaped her both as a writer and person. "What now?" is a useful book for recent college grads facing the challenges of turning their just-earned degree into a stepping stone to life -- a course that can't be taught in college -- and for parents who may not remember the "now what?" uncertainties graduates face. Patchett pays respect to those who influenced her, including a writing professor who encouraged his now famous student to almost completely rewrite the first draft of her speech, suggesting one of Patchett's life lessons is that we're never too old or accomplished to benefit from the wise counsel of others.
- Great book for retreats
By A1AFCI1UO0SFBG on 2008-08-05
We used this book for a staff retreat, to get conversation going about ourselves and the college students with whom we work. A short read that staff won't groan about with limited time to complete it, funny and inspiring, thought-provoking as well. Recommend highly.
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