Ann Patchett is the co-owner of Parnassus Books in Nashville and the author of seven novels. In 2012, Time Magazine named her as one of their 100 Most Influential People in the World. The Bel Canto author recently joined "Just the Right Book" from her home in Nashville to talk about being a bookseller and about her most personal novel to date, Commonwealth. “My father was dying as I was writing this novel,” Ann tells Roxanne. “I knew he’d hate this book, but I knew I was writing it because he was never going to read it.” The specific actions of the characters are not the same, but the emotions are. “As my mother would say, ‘None of it happened, and all of it is true.’”  

Be sure to like us on Facebook and join our mailing list to hear more news about “Just the Right Book Podcast.”

Books in this episode:

Commonwealth by Ann Patchett

This is the Story of a Happy Marriage by Ann Patchett

Bel Canto by Ann Patchett

Lincoln in the Bardo by George Saunders

Tenth of December: Stories by George Saunders

The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead 

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices