Tom LakeTom Lake
What it's about
In the spring of 2020, Lara's three grown daughters come home to the family cherry orchard in northern Michigan during the pandemic. As they pick cherries, they beg their mother to tell them the story of her youth, when, as a young actress, she spent a summer at a theater called Tom Lake and fell in love with Peter Duke, who later became a famous movie star.
Why it's worth reading
It hit #1 on the New York Times list and was a Goodreads Choice finalist. It's a warm, wise novel about family, memory and the stories we tell our children.
You'll love it if you liked
Bel Canto
Olive Kitteridge
Hello BeautifulGood to know
It's gentle and slow. Thornton Wilder's play Our Town runs through it.
By the numbers
- Readers23 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics0 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Bestseller75 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
- #135 of the 233 romances we rank
- #210 of the 309 literary novels we rank
- #302 of the 481 new books we rank
- #1756 of the 2,816 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
Moving
More by Ann Patchett
The Dutch House
WhistlerBel Canto
State of WonderIf you like this, read next
Quicksilver
Lessons in Chemistry
Just for the Summer
Broken Country
Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow
Funny StoryExplore the best-of lists
All 36 best-of lists →
Quick answers
Is Tom Lake worth reading?
Yes. It hit #1 on the New York Times list and was a Goodreads Choice finalist. It ranks #1,756 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 65.9 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is Tom Lake about?
In the spring of 2020, Lara's three grown daughters come home to the family cherry orchard in northern Michigan during the pandemic. As they pick cherries, they beg their mother to tell them the story of her youth, when, as a young actress, she spent a summer at a theater called Tom Lake and fell in love with Peter Duke, who later became a famous movie star.
What should I read after Tom Lake?
If you liked it, try Bel Canto by Ann Patchett, Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Strout or Hello Beautiful by Ann Napolitano.