Tom Lake

Ann Patchett's book is a coming of age, mother daughters, love, friendship, end of life, and simply a lifetime story told by a 57-year-old heroin. Laura tells her three grown daughters about her brief acting career and her short love affair with a famous actor, Duke. Most of her telling revolves around a summer at Tom Lake in her formative 24th year; where she takes on the character of Emily in "Our Town" and tries to hold on to her youth. It is a summer of passion, creativity, friendship, and betrayal. Although she has no regrets in her marriage to Joe, her three children, and her life on the cherry farm, she still has her memories of her brief life in the limelight and retains a few of her secrets.