Meeting Ann Patchett

[Mary Anne]

Tonight, I met Ann Patchett, who was the guest speaker at the Pittsburgh Arts & Lecture Series. She is a wonderfully engaging speaker, and tonight she told stories about altruism. One of those tales was the story of how she came to realize that she had to be the one to open an independent bookstore in Nashville.
She has a business partner who runs the day to day operations. But she says that she knows she did the right thing because she can tell people what they should be reading, and because when she comes upon staff members arguing, it is about which Evelyn Waugh book is the best.

But one thing I can say from the personal encounter is that Ann Patchett is a strikingly beautiful woman. Additionally, I would be happy to have her recommend books to me, which apparently she does, on the store's website. She just wants the world to love to read, as she does. Who could argue with that?

http://www.parnassusbooks.net

[Sherry, Doyenne]

I've met her, too, in Milwaukee at a book signing for Bel Canto, before it became very popular. There were about eight people there and she was delightful. I make a point of buying her books in hard copy.

[Nicole]

I have this memory that she was a guest on the Daily Show within the past year. I don't know if the episode is still available (or even have a rough idea of the date it was aired), but it's a good option for those of us who will probably never run across her in person....

[Mary Anne]

Nicole, she may have been on the Daily Show, but I know she was on the Colbert Report, and she took care of him handily. It's worth looking for on YouTube.
Sherry, she packed in about 750 last night!

[Book Concierge]

I also met Ann Patchett in Milwaukee! She was at a university alumni book club meeting for Run and she couldn't be more delightful and forthcoming. And, yes, she gave several recommendations. My other F2F book club read one of them - They Came Like Swallows by William Maxwell. Wonderful group-discussion book!

[Mary]

I met Ann Patchett at the Oxford Literary Festival in 2003. She signed my copy of The Magician's Assistant, and drew a rabbit coming out of a hat! She seemed to be a lovely person.