The All of It

The All of It by Jeannette Haien

The All of It is the 145 page novel famously rescued from the dust bin by author Ann Patchett.

Well, not literally the dustbin. As Ann tells it in the foreword to the current edition, her friend Maile snatched up the book in a used book store and insisted that Ann read it. Ann was so enamored of this story originally published in 1986, that she persuaded a publisher to reprint a few copies. The rest is publishing history.

The All of It is the first of only two novels by pianist and music teacher Jeannette Haien. It was published when she was in her sixties.

On his death bed, Kevin Dennehy shares a secret with his local priest, Father Declan. But the secret is only half told. It is up to his wife, Edna, to confess the remainder of the story after her husband’s death.

But Edna won’t “confess,” at least in the ecclesiastical sense of the word. But she agrees to tell her tale to Father Declan outside of the confessional. As a priest first and a friend second (distant second), Father Declan is opposed to the idea. In the end, he is persuaded and completely enthralled by Edna’s tale.

In this a slim volume, a lifetime of familial relationships is illustrated, and future connections are subtly suggested. This novel makes me wonder why it takes other writers so long to get to the point. A tribute to less is more!

The All of It was an NCN Book Club selection. At our meeting, each member was asked to describe the book in one word.