Every so often you encounter a story so good you hate for it to end. A book you don’t want to finish and leave behind and yet are compelled forward by the power of the narrative to its inevitable conclusion. “No Two Persons,” by Erica Bauermeister, is a story about just such a book.
“No Two Persons” reads like a collection of short stories revolving around a central idea: a fictional book titled “Theo.” The story flows chronologically from a young writer completing her debut novel, “Theo,” in 2010, to the wide variety of people the book touches once given life in the world: a washed-up actor, despairing free diver, struggling artist and an unhoused high schooler, to name a few. Each chapter reveals another fully fleshed out character, and, as the adage holds, “no two persons ever read the same book,” we find that each character intersects with “Theo” in unique ways.
The power of “No Two Persons,” is it’s a story about the power of literature that, rather than focusing on the details of “Theo,” spends time dwelling at the intersection of humanity and literature. “No Two Persons” alludes to those times when a book or story strikes a chord with our present circumstances in such a way that we feel moved, we feel seen, we feel validated and we feel challenged. Bauermeister cleverly portrays this array of impacts a story has through each unique vignette of a chapter.
“No Two Persons” should appeal to readers of contemporary fiction, short stories, relationship stories, and stories about stories.
As the 2025 Whatcom Reads title, “No Two Persons” will be the source of many great conversations in the coming months. Visit whatcomreads.org, for more info on Whatcom Reads and the events surrounding “No Two Persons.” Visit wcls.org to find “No Two Persons” and other similarly themed stories.
“No Two Persons” is the December selection for the Books and Bites book group. Join Books and Bites at Blaine Public Library at 1 p.m. Friday, December 20, for a time of community and lively conversation.
Jonathan Jakobitz is an avid reader and the branch manager of the Blaine Public Library.
