Some Bright Nowhere
by Ann Packer
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AN OPRAH'S BOOK CLUB PICK
"Extraordinary. . . . This novel about marriage and friendship and life and dying is a marvel."-- Elin Hilderbrand
"A moving meditation on love's many forms and how a marriage can surprise you--right to the end." --People Magazine
What if your partner's dying wish broke your heart?
How well do we know the deepest wishes of those we love dearly?
Eliot and his wife, Claire, have been happily married for nearly four decades. They've raised two children in their sleepy Connecticut town and have weathered the unavoidable ups and downs of a long life spent together. But eight years after Claire was diagnosed with cancer, the end is near, and she makes an unexpected request that leaves Eliot reeling. Confronted by a profound turning point in his marriage and his life, Eliot grapples with the man and husband he's been, in a novel that explores the precious gifts and unexpected costs of truly loving someone, and the fears and desires we experience as the end of life draws near.
"Skillfully surprising...We stay in the mystery of this couple, with its shades and shifts. And in the final pages, with their small, quiet turns, we have the readerly satisfaction of a good ending, that elusive and beckoning goal."--The New York Times
"Packer sketches the nuances of [Claire and Eliot's] love with a devastating sharpness, poignantly exploring the challenges of facing death with grace."--The Washington Post
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Book Details
- ISBN
- 9780063421493
- Binding
- Hardcover
- Authors
- Ann Packer
- Publisher
- Harper Perennial
- Published Date
- November 11, 2025
- Language
- English
- Pages
- 256
- Physical Info
- 9.65 in L x 4.44 in W (0.75 lb)
Reading so intimate a book about the inside of a man’s mind written by a woman makes me wonder how true it is. It felt true.
Reading so intimate a book about the inside of a man’s mind written by a woman makes me wonder how true it is. It felt true.
This powerful story moved me in surprising ways. It forced me to look deeply into my heart and consider what Claire would say about me.The request of a dying woman, grudgingly granted by her husband, forces him to understand her as he never had.A choice toward the end, planned with friends, although understandable, infuriated me.This book grabs your heart and doesn’t let go.
Although every human experience/existence is different, for me Elliot’s agony and the horrifying journey accompanied by a soulmate and cancer was heart-wrenchingly accurate.The last few pages of the book a testimony to how it all is inevitable.
This powerful story moved me in surprising ways. It forced me to look deeply into my heart and consider what Claire would say about me.The request of a dying woman, grudgingly granted by her husband, forces him to understand her as he never had.A choice toward the end, planned with friends, although understandable, infuriated me.This book grabs your heart and doesn’t let go.
