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7/20/01
I almost forgot to say good-bye.
Book tour is like any other long illness. You're sick for what feels like forever and then
one day you're well, you're great, and you instantly forget that anything was ever wrong.
I am home and I am completely happy. The tomato plant yields an average of two really
beautiful tomatoes a day and is completely unmolested by birds, insects, or squirrels. I
didn't know it was possible to be so lucky. I thought a lot about pies while I was on the
road and since returning I have devoted myself to the pursuit of the perfect crust (see: The
Pie and Pastry Bible, Rose Levy Barenbaum). That's it. Tomatoes and pies and surely at
some point a tomato pie.
The last round of tour was especially good. I went to see my sister, Heather, in
Minnesota. After spending a night at her house, where I learned that I had no talent for
the trampoline, she took me to the Ruminator in Minneapolis, which went smoothly. The real
news was the next day, when I took a six a.m. flight to Chicago, then Traverse City,
Michigan, and then drove an hour and a half to Petoskey. I had not wanted to go to
Petoskey. It was too far away, too hard to get to. It turns out that McLean & Eakin
was hands down the best bookstore I've ever been to in my life. I have never had such a
great event, or met such an amazing staff and wonderful customers. Everyone did a terrific
job. I would have been glad to stay on for the summer selling books. Len Cowgill, an
artist who works at the store, made me a box. It would be very difficult to explain the
box in a way that could do it any real justice, but let it suffice to say it was the
nicest thing that anyone has ever given to me in my life. After signing what felt like a
thousand copies of stock, I was whisked back to the airport, past endless cherry orchards
at the height of their season (go home, I thought, bake pies). I flew to Ann
Arbor, saw a lot of old friends, did a signing at Shaman Drum and came home.
If anyone actually read this tour journal, I thank you. I'm sorry I complained so much.
Now that it's over I am filled with a sweet amnesia about the whole thing. I could scroll
back and re-read it all, but why would I want to remember? Have a wonderful summer. Read
lots of books.
--- Ann Patchett
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