Erica Bauermeister cites an epigraph before she begins her book, No Two Persons, and uses it as her basic premise.
“No two persons ever read the same book, or saw the same picture.” The Writings of Madame Swetchine, 1860.
Her first chapter begins with “The Writer” (Maine – 2010) and tells how Alice’s book Theo came to be. The second chapter (New York City - 2020) moves it to “The Assistant” who finds it in the slush pile and knows it is the manuscript she has been looking for. Each chapter moves to a different reader, each with another take on the book, each in a different place both literally and figuratively in their lives, and each with a different influence from it. The last full chapter comes back to (New York City - 2019) to “The Agent” who originally bought it. Then it finishes with a lovely epilogue (New York City - December 2019) that ties up the loose ends – sort of.
The chapters are like related short stories with Theo having a different influence on each character. My favorite chapter comes in (Northeastern California - 2017) in “The Caretaker.” Perhaps, that is because this character is nearest to my stage of life. That may prove the point of the beginning epigraph!
No Two Persons also made me think of another cliché that floats around in advice to writers – “Every book is tempered by what the reader brings to it.” I brought myself, an avid reader and writer, to this book. While that may have enhanced my enjoyment, I think any lover of good books will want to get a copy, find a favorite chair, and take the day off to read.
(Extra tip for my fellow Oak Grove Public Library patrons: I returned the book to the library today.)