Commonwealth by Ann Patchett is a compelling and beautifully observed family saga about love, marriage, divorce, family bonds, betrayal, memory, and the unexpected ways one generation shapes the next.

The story begins in 1964, when Bert Cousins, a deputy district attorney, arrives unexpectedly at Franny Keating’s christening party in Los Angeles. There, he meets Beverly Keating, the beautiful wife of his host. Their unexpected attraction sets in motion the joining of two families whose lives will become permanently intertwined.

Years later, the consequences of that relationship continue to shape the lives of their children. In 1988, Franny Keating is twenty-four, has left law school, and is working as a cocktail waitress in Chicago. Her life takes another unexpected turn when she meets celebrated author Leon Posen, one of her literary heroes.

As the story moves across decades, Patchett examines how family histories are remembered differently by each person and how seemingly small events can have lasting consequences.