Diane and I drove over to the North Tonawanda Public Library and joined a dozen other Ann Patchett fans to watch a ZOOM interview of Ann Patchett with Shannon DeVito, Sr. Director, Book Strategy and Customer Experience at B&N and Miwa Messer, Executive Producer of B&N’s POURED OVER podcast.
The hour-long interview covered details of Patchett’s new novel, Tom Lake, which Diane had read (Diane’s read just about every book Ann Patchett has published). I enjoyed Patchett’s stories of how the novel came about (it actually started while she was finishing writing The Dutch House). Patchett also spoke about the impact of the Pandemic on the book and its characters. Patchett also choses the artwork for her novels. She and her husband were vacationing in Paris when she saw the painting that would become the cover of Tom Lake.
I wish I could include a link to this interview, but there’s none on the Barnes & Noble Book Club website. Ann Patchett mentioned how she asked Tom Hanks to do the audio book for The Dutch House and also asked Meryl Streep to narrate Tom Lake. “If you don’t ask, it won’t happen,” she advised. Are you an Ann Patchett fan? GRADE: A
Not a big fan of her fiction (which gives me Anne Tyler/Jane Smiley vibes), but I loved “These Precious Days”, a long piece of non-fiction she wrote (published in Harpers) about how—as a result of Tom Hanks narrating THE DUTCH HOUSE—she came to be friends with Hanks’s PA and eventually gave her a place to stay when she (the PA) was going through chemo during the pandemic. It was such an interesting piece, covering so many topics, including friendship, love, family, illness, home. Here is a link:
https://harpers.org/archive/2021/01/these-precious-days-ann-patchett-psilocybin-tom-hanks-sooki-raphael/
Deb, Diane and I listened to Ann Patchett read These Precious Days on the audiobook version: http://georgekelley.org/these-precious-days-by-ann-patchett/
The story of Hank’s PA was very moving.
Deb, I also read and really enjoyed that piece.
You can watch almost any author doing a book store talk on you tube. It’s on most smart TVs and free. There are dozens of Megan’s on there and if I miss her I go watch one. I liked TOM LAKE but I also prefer her essays, especially the ones in THIS IS THE STORY OF A HAPPY MARRIAGE. TOM LAKE lacked bite for me. Everyone is too nice.
Most people need a character they can like whereas I need one I can dislike. If there is none, I begin to dislike all of them.
Patti, how about Duke?
Like Patti, I really liked Patchett’s THIS IS THE STORY OF A HAPPY MARRIAGE. Also THESE PRECIOUS DAYS. I haven’t read any of her novels, though I do have the new one on hold.
Jeff, Diane (and her Book Club) have read most of Ann Patchett’s novels. Diane and I loved Patchett’s narration of THESE PRECIOUS DAYS. Excellent reader!