Wellness

by Nathan Hill

This title is essentially a love story, but also the story of modern marriage and the current obsession with health, pursuit of personal happiness, and how our beliefs shape experienced reality. Jack and Elizabeth meet as young college students involved in the early 90’s art scene (a lot of super relatable places and experiences here for Chicagoans of, ahem a similar age) bringing the story to the present era. The couple struggle with midlife and the beliefs they’ve held about themselves, their past selves and their marriage, as they both unpack how they got to where they are and what the dream for the future might be. Very good read, ultimately tied up a little too quickly and neatly for my taste.