Tolstoy and the Purple Chair

Tolstoy and the Purple Chair chronicles Nina Sankovitch's year-long project to read one book every day as a way to process grief after her sister's death. Each day, she sits in a purple armchair and immerses herself in literature spanning different genres and time periods. Through her reading journey, Sankovitch examines her relationship with her sister, her life as a mother of four boys, and her memories of growing up in a family of immigrants. She connects the books' themes and characters to her own experiences, creating a memoir that combines literary analysis with personal reflection. The reading experiment transforms from an escape into a path toward healing and understanding. Sankovitch records her observations on a blog, sharing insights about both the books and her gradual emotional evolution over the course of the year. The memoir explores how literature can serve as both a mirror and a window - reflecting our own lives while offering new perspectives on universal human experiences of love, loss, and family bonds.

Readers connected with Sankovitch's journey through grief and her year of reading a book per day. Many found her insights about literature and healing to be relatable, with several reviewers mentioning they picked up the book during their own periods of loss. Positive reviews highlighted: - The book recommendations embedded throughout - Personal stories about her family relationships - Clear writing style - Balance between book discussion and memoir Common criticisms: - Too much focus on the author's privileged lifestyle - Repetitive themes and observations - Limited depth in analyzing the books she read - Some found the grief narrative overshadowed the reading project Ratings: Goodreads: 3.5/5 (3,900+ ratings) Amazon: 4.1/5 (180+ reviews) One reader noted: "She doesn't dig deep enough into the books themselves." Another wrote: "Her reflections helped me process my own grief, but I wanted more about the actual reading experience."

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🎯 After losing her older sister to cancer at age 46, Nina Sankovitch committed to reading one book every day for an entire year as a way to process her grief 📚 The author read 365 books in 365 days while maintaining her regular duties as a mother of four sons 🏠 Most of Sankovitch's reading was done in a purple velvet chair she purchased specifically for her year-long reading project ✍️ The books she chose were deliberately limited to those she could finish in under four hours, and she wrote a review of each one on her blog 🎓 Nina Sankovitch holds a law degree from Harvard Law School and formerly worked as an environmental attorney before becoming a writer and book reviewer