165 ratings | 0 reviews | avg rating:3.88

Ann's Bookshelves

read (165)
currently-reading (1)
to-read (9)

Ann’s Friends (7)

Michele Piccini

31,456 books | 2,940 friends

Carolyn DePaul

676 books | 209 friends

LAURA KAY A Novel Review

451 books | 1,448 friends

Michelle

327 books | 77 friends

Kit

112 books | 121 friends

Margaret Nelson brinkhaus

127 books | 36 friends

Louise

1,280 books | 11 friends

Ann Bauer

Goodreads author profile

born

The United States

gender

female

website

http://www.annbauer.com/

twitter username

annbauerwriter

member since

April 2012

About this author

edit data

I’m a writer. It’s all I do—all I’ve ever done—because it’s the only thing I’m good at.

People assume I’m making a joke when I say that. I’m not. I don’t knit, decorate, garden, draw, run marathons or ski. I have no sense of direction. I can’t even hem my own pants; and I’m 5-foot-3, so they always need hemming. I write because it’s how I think.

I have an MFA from the University of Iowa. Not from the famous writer’s workshop but from the much less famous nonfiction program, which was nice enough to let me in, give me a fellowship and teach me many great things. I love essays. An essay is the story of an idea. Some of my favorite essayists: Mary Gordon, Edward Hoagland, Jo Ann Beard.

Despite my “nonfiction” training, I published a novel, A Wil...more I’m a writer. It’s all I do—all I’ve ever done—because it’s the only thing I’m good at.

People assume I’m making a joke when I say that. I’m not. I don’t knit, decorate, garden, draw, run marathons or ski. I have no sense of direction. I can’t even hem my own pants; and I’m 5-foot-3, so they always need hemming. I write because it’s how I think.

I have an MFA from the University of Iowa. Not from the famous writer’s workshop but from the much less famous nonfiction program, which was nice enough to let me in, give me a fellowship and teach me many great things. I love essays. An essay is the story of an idea. Some of my favorite essayists: Mary Gordon, Edward Hoagland, Jo Ann Beard.

Despite my “nonfiction” training, I published a novel, A Wild Ride Up the Cupboards, with Scribner in 2005. Then I hacked away at a bad book for the next several years. I did at least five wholesale revisions before my agent (bless him) told me to give it up. It just didn’t work. I put that manuscript away and about a week later, I started writing The Forever Marriage, my actual second novel. It was done in nine months.

I live in Minneapolis, with my husband and teenage daughter. I have two adult sons nearby. We used to own a big house near a lake, with tons of space that I didn’t decorate. But this year we sold it and moved into a small apartment so we can travel more. Now we own a motorcycle, a coffeemaker and two laptops. I find I really like a small life.

It’s important to mention that I don’t write alone. Writers need very smart people between their random thoughts and the reading public. I have some of the best. My agent, Esmond Harmsworth, doesn’t just sell my work he guides it and helps me puzzle through it. My Iowa colleague, Steve Rosse, reads and shapes nearly everything I write. I’ve also been extremely lucky to work with great editors: Sarah McGrath, Stephanie Gorton, Michael Hanson, Joy Press, Lori Leibovich and Sarah Hepola.

Believe me, Ann Bauer makes a whole lot more sense after these people touch the words.
(less)

65 posts
Ann Bauer's Blog

My Minnesota Family

NOTE: This very important story was written by Jennifer Graves, a friend of my sister’s from high school. Jennifer is now the suburban MN mother of six. She captures a fundamental truth about parenting: We all want our children to be happy, stable and loved. There’s a vote coming up in less than a month that could put an obstacle in her son’s way. And that is SO un-Minnesotan. Please read th...

combine editions
Ann Bauer's Books

Average rating: 3.42 · 651 ratings · 141 reviews · 3 distinct works · Similar authors

	The Forever Marriage 3.25 of 5 stars 3.25 avg rating — 334 ratings — published 2012 — 4 editions	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	A Wild Ride Up the Cupboards 3.56 of 5 stars 3.56 avg rating — 294 ratings — published 2005 — 6 editions	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Damn Good Food: 157 Recipes from Hell's Kitchen by Mitch Omer, Ann Bauer (Goodreads Author) 4.18 of 5 stars 4.18 avg rating — 22 ratings — published 2009	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

* Note: these are all the books on Goodreads for this author. To add more, click here.

Upcoming Events

No scheduled events. Add an event.

Ann is Currently Reading

Ann Bauer is currently reading

Writers on Writing: Collected Essays from The New York Times

by The New York Times

bookshelves: currently-reading

Rate this book

Clear rating

1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

Jul 13, 2012 05:34am

rss
Ann's Recent Updates

Ann Bauer is now friends with Louise
Oct 28, 2012 10:31am · like
Ann Bauer is currently reading Writers on Writing: Collected Essays from The New York Times by The New York Times	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Jul 13, 2012 05:34am
Ann Bauer rated a book 5 of 5 stars I Couldn't Love You More by Jillian Medoff (Goodreads Author)	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Jun 15, 2012 06:50pm
Ann Bauer rated a book 4 of 5 stars Eventide by Kent Haruf read in June, 2012	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Jun 15, 2012 06:49pm
Ann Bauer rated a book 4 of 5 stars A Dangerous Profession: A Book About the Writing Life by Frederick Busch	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Apr 29, 2012 08:37am
Ann Bauer rated a book 5 of 5 stars Girls by Frederick Busch	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Apr 29, 2012 08:37am
Ann Bauer rated a book 3 of 5 stars Harry and Catherine: A Love Story by Frederick Busch	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Apr 29, 2012 08:37am
Ann Bauer rated a book 4 of 5 stars North: A Novel by Frederick Busch	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Apr 29, 2012 08:37am
Ann Bauer rated a book 4 of 5 stars Don't Tell Anyone: Short Stories and a Novella (Ballantine Reader's Circle) by Frederick Busch	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Apr 29, 2012 08:37am
Ann Bauer rated a book 3 of 5 stars The Night Inspector by Frederick Busch	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Apr 29, 2012 08:37am