Ann Patchett's Blog, page 46

What Tom Perrotta Watches, Listens To, and Thinks About When He’s Not Writing Bestselling Fiction

Tom Perrotta caught the attention of readers everywhere with his novels Little Children and Election, both of which were made into Oscar-nominated films. He was already a household/bookstore name by the time he wrote The Leftovers, which was adapted into a Peabody Award-winning HBO series. Some Perrotta readers swear their favorite of his novels is Bad Haircut, […]

Let Us Tell You ’bout Our Friend Leonard

Once upon a time, there was a dog named Leonard. We, the shop dogs of Parnassus Books, would like to tell you about him. Before Leonard was adopted, he was a pitiful pup. He had no home, but he did have a bad case of mange that caused his hair to fall out and his […]

Aftercare Instructions: Bonnie Pipkin Discusses Her New YA Novel with Estelle Laure

The ParnassusNext YA subscription box selection this month is Aftercare Instructions, the debut YA novel by Bonnie Pipkin. The story centers on a girl named Genesis, who is abandoned by her boyfriend at a Planned Parenthood immediately following an abortion, and her ensuing journey of self-discovery. Fellow YA author Estelle Laure (This Raging Light, But […]

More Summer Reading (The Fun Kind) for Young Book-Lovers

  Summer necessities: – Popsicles – Shade – Something good to read Here are our booksellers’ latest favorites for young book-lovers — including both new releases and paperbacks!  Picture books Recommended by Ashley There Might Be Lobsters  By Carolyn Crimi, Laurel Molk (Illustrator) Sukie is a small dog, and to small dogs, beaches are big and scary! Follow […]

Uncomfortable Stories: Matthew Quick Tells Courtney C. Stevens About His New Novel

Matthew Quick’s The Reason You’re Alive sits up front on the staff-picks shelf at Parnassus — as has every adult book he has written since The Silver Linings Playbook. In this new novel, Quick applies his trademark mix of poignancy and humor to unpack the history of an outspoken Vietnam veteran named David Granger, who’s searching for resolution […]

Notes from Ann: The Main Events

I’ve started writing a new novel, which I will say, based on common sense and no experience, is nothing at all like being pregnant. However, writing does make my tastes change. Ask anyone at the store, especially Cat who runs the First Editions Club and is the person I’m most likely to be talking to […]

What Book Club Feels Like . . . When You’re the Author

Anton DiSclafani’s novels are book-club gold — the stories so rich with secrets and betrayals, the characters so complex and real. Both The Yonahlossee Riding Camp for Girls and The After Party practically beg the question, “What would you have done in her shoes?” We can’t wait to talk with DiSclafani when she joins us in […]

27 Books Perfect for Summer

Every month, our booksellers get into a heated (in a friendly way) discussion about who loves which book the most and who gets to claim it as a staff-pick on the front shelf. These are our latest summer-reading favorites, and they’re as hot (in a fun and interesting way) as July in Tennessee. A mix […]

5 Reasons You Must Read Roxane Gay’s New Book, Hunger

“I ate and ate and ate in the hopes that if I made myself big, my body would be safe. I buried the girl I was because she ran into all kinds of trouble. I tried to erase every memory of her, but she is still there, somewhere. . . . I was trapped in […]

How to Keep Writing (Even If You Have a Day Job): 5 Tips from Novelist Jennifer Close

Readers know Jennifer Close as the author of several novels, including one of our staff-favorite summer reads, The Hopefuls — the juicy and entertaining story of a friendship between two couples with political ambitions. Her students and fellow academics, however, know her as their creative writing professor at George Washington University in Washington, DC. So we thought […]