Tom Lake: A Novel

Written by Ann Patchett

Narrated by Meryl Streep

#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • A REESE’S BOOK CLUB PICK • READ BY MERYL STREEP

In this beautiful and moving novel about family, love, and growing up, Ann Patchett once again proves herself one of America’s finest writers.

“Patchett leads us to a truth that feels like life rather than literature.” —The Guardian

In the spring of 2020, Lara’s three daughters return to the family's orchard in Northern Michigan. While picking cherries, they beg their mother to tell them the story of Peter Duke, a famous actor with whom she shared both a stage and a romance years before at a theater company called Tom Lake. As Lara recalls the past, her daughters examine their own lives and relationship with their mother, and are forced to reconsider the world and everything they thought they knew.

Tom Lake is a meditation on youthful love, married love, and the lives parents have led before their children were born. Both hopeful and elegiac, it explores what it means to be happy even when the world is falling apart. As in all of her novels, Ann Patchett combines compelling narrative artistry with piercing insights into family dynamics. The result is a rich and luminous story, told with profound intelligence and emotional subtlety, that demonstrates once again why she is one of the most revered and acclaimed literary talents working today.

• Language: English
• Publisher: HarperAudio
• Release date: Aug 1, 2023
• ISBN: 9780063327559

Ann Patchett

Ann Patchett is the author of eight novels and three works of non-fiction. Her most recent novel The Dutch House was a New York Times and Sunday Times bestseller, and longlisted for the 2020 Women's Prize. In 2002 she won the Orange Prize for Fiction with Bel Canto, a prize she has also twice been shortlisted for with The Magician's Assistant in 1998 and State of Wonder in 2012. She is also the winner of the PEN/Faulkner Award and was named one of Time magazine's 100 Most Influential People in the World in 2012. Her work has been translated into more than thirty languages. She is the co-owner of Parnassus Books in Nashville, Tennessee, where she lives with her husband, Karl.

Reviews for Tom Lake

[Kelly King · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Such a lovey story!! Perfectly narrated. I loved the relationships and the nostalgia.

[Suzanne Philip · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

What can be better than Meryl Streep reading a “can’t put it down book”. I simply could not put it down.

[Therese Supple Kincade · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I don’t know when I’ve enjoyed a book this much. Both the story and the incredible performance by Meryl Streep were fantastic. The story was so relatable to me and my life in so many ways. I didn’t want it to end. I listen to a lot of audiobooks and, not surprisingly, Streeps interpretation was the best I’ve ever heard.

[Autumnsdad · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I liked this book, but I’m from Michigan and it’s where the story takes place. I was also thrilled because Meryl Streep is an amazing actress of course, but she can read a book! Sometimes you need that book like this that’s nice and calming. Just a good story. This was that for me.

[lydiakim222 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

The book is great but made even better with Meryl Streep’s lovely voice.

[deja · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

The writing is spectacular, but the entire premise I did not care for. I thought Duke was a POS.

[Claire McFadden · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Meryl Streep did an A+ job with this audiobook. Definitely recommend!

[Anup Varkey · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

It was a delight hearing Meryl Streep‘s voice. Characters were too good to be true. No speck of jealousy or hatred.

[Allison Crowers · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

This is the most boring book I’ve ever read. I’m so proud of myself for finishing it.

[Katie Winn · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

I enjoyed the visuals surrounding the peaceful farm and lake, but overall, it was quite monotonous and boring. I just felt like I was wasting time listening to this for some reason. I wish she’d have just married Sebastian instead of dancing around the idea that she loved him. It seemed like her husband was just a boring guy she happened to end up with…to her anyway.

[Emma Heftman · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Wonderful story and Meryl Streep made it even more wonderful

[An P. · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Such a poetically told story
I saw the lake
The orchard…
And Meryl Streep - how will i live without her voice in my eat now? It was a spectacular performance.

[Jennifer Burgess · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This was an enchanting story that travels from present day Covid lockdown to the past as a mother’s story is told to her daughters.
It being read by Meryl Streep was brilliant - she brought the story to life for me as I could picture her in this role.
Didn’t want the story to end!

[jeanne · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Bla bla j’ai bien aimé ok oui c’est vrai ah

[Alice Sugarman · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

It was a lovely book and it had a good ending and a nice read to start the year.

[Kathy Golden · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I loved this book! First time, in a long time, a book made me cry.

[Tona Thompson · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Sweet story but the best thing about it was the narration by Meryl Streep.

[Helene Hennelly · Rating: 1 out of 5 stars]

I listen to it for over two hours. I could find nothing fresh. No interesting plot twist, characters, or language. I couldn’t finish. No author is entitled to bore you for two hours no matter how famous they are.

[Jayme Spence · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Meryl Streep did a wonderful job narrating. Loved the story line too.

[Floor Fonteijn · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Meryl streep you absolute legend and what a dream of a story

[Yolan Shiffrin · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I’m so sad that I can’t listen to Meryl Streep continue this beautiful story forever. Everything about this book is 5/5 stars. It’s one of my all time favorite stories now. I will read/listen to this again.

[Samantha Nobs · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Evocative and moving memories of youth. Beautifully read by Meryl Streep

[Heidi Johnson · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Tom Lake is a beautiful story, overflowing with love and compassion.

[Sandy Topzand · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Utterly perfect narration, which is what a book like this deserves. The gentle telling of a story of youthful idiocy that doesn't follow a predictable path.

[natalie · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Kept my attention. Very good story and I like how the past and the present we’re interwoven

[Trixie Balagat · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Just lovely. Bittersweet and warm. It was a joy to be drifting into the story read ao effectively by Meryl

[shea knowles · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

The narration for sure, but the writing was really great too. Story was fun too.

[Dave Slabe · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I didn’t dislike it, however I am not sure what to take as the author’s point of this story within a story. I learned about summer stock theatre from the cast view in the book’s era, and about cherry farming. As in all stories, both fate and personal choices form the characters’ paths, and the unhurried pace of both stories allow time for the main characters to become fully formed.

[StefanieRogers · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Very good character story. A little slow at times but overall very enjoyable read. Meryl Streep excellent as narrator.

[nick · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

There were moments I felt I wanted the book to end already but glad it went the way it did.
Learned about cherries, had nice ups and downs.