CommonwealthCommonwealth
Score Modern
What it's about
One Sunday afternoon in Southern California, Bert Cousins shows up uninvited at Franny Keating's christening party and kisses her mother, Beverly, setting in motion the end of two marriages and the joining of two families. Over five decades, Ann Patchett follows how that chance encounter reverberates through the lives of four parents and six children.
Why it's worth reading
It was a National Book Critics Circle Award finalist and spent 26 weeks on the New York Times bestseller lists.
You'll love it if you liked
The Dutch House
Bel Canto
Tom LakeGood to know
It jumps across time and points of view.
By the numbers
- Readers28 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics25 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Bestseller52 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Buzz4 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
- #226 of the 309 literary novels we rank
- #1021 of the 1,573 modern books we rank
- #1882 of the 2,816 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
Moving, Thought-provoking
More by Ann Patchett
The Dutch House
WhistlerBel CantoTom LakeIf you like this, read next
All the Light We Cannot See
Americanah
A Little Life
The Help
Pachinko
Shuggie BainExplore the best-of lists
All 36 best-of lists →
Quick answers
Is Commonwealth worth reading?
Yes. It was a National Book Critics Circle Award finalist and spent 26 weeks on the New York Times bestseller lists. It ranks #1,882 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 64.9 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is Commonwealth about?
One Sunday afternoon in Southern California, Bert Cousins shows up uninvited at Franny Keating's christening party and kisses her mother, Beverly, setting in motion the end of two marriages and the joining of two families. Over five decades, Ann Patchett follows how that chance encounter reverberates through the lives of four parents and six children.
How long does it take to read Commonwealth?
About 8 hours (322 pages), or about 2 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after Commonwealth?
If you liked it, try The Dutch House by Ann Patchett, Bel Canto by Ann Patchett or Tom Lake by Ann Patchett.