WHISTLER

Ann Patchett’s tender, luminous new novel, is a quiet, contemplative story with dual timelines and an aching look back at the past. Daphne Fuller is strolling through the Met with her husband, when they notice an elderly man following her: Eddie Triplett, the stepfather she adored, but lost touch with decades ago.Their reunion unlocks long-buried memories of an accident they survived together, and layers of the past that are woven through their now connected present.
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Whistler is a story comprised of many tiny impactful moments, and then a few very big ones - and isn’t that a lot like life? Ann Patchett is a master at telling us everything we need to know about a person in their most subtle gestures, and reminding us that humanity is made up of these small choices, not just the most important ones. This is a book I appreciated even more after reading, reflecting on the contrast between Daphne’s adult life, filled with grown up dynamics and realities, and her childhood memories, vivid and detailed and almost mystical. The retelling of the accident, and Eddie’s story within that story, now place among the most unforgettable narrative scenes I’ve ever read. I’m still thinking about Whistler - the book and the horse - and my guess is you will be, too.
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Daphne and Eddie are on their way to a raspberry farm at the time of the book’s pivotal car accident, and berries are in season now so I made these jammy raspberry bars with vanilla icing drizzled on top. They’re sweet, sticky, crumbly, and can pass as dessert, snack or breakfast. (Maybe that’s just because I want an excuse to eat them all day!)