Ann Patchett has come to Square Books for almost every one of her books, including her first book, The Patron Saint of Liars, when she was just 29 and on her first author tour, driving around the country alone.  She has written seven books since then--five novels and two books of nonfiction--including Bel Canto, which won her a PEN/Fualkner award and an Orange Prize for Fiction in 2002.  Most of her books have been included as part of our Signed Firsts Subscription, where each month subscribers receive a signed, first edition book.  Her new book State of Wonder will be the July Signed Firsts pick.  Ann was here last week to read from State of Wonder to a packed house at Off Square Books.  You can listen to the reading below but be warned--if you fear snakes you can just fast forward through those parts.  After her reading she talked a little about the process of writing State of Wonder which involved a trip to the Amazon for research.  Ann Patchett is an avid reader and before taking questions she spoke to the crowd about two books she highly recommends, Binocular Visions by Edith Pearlman and The All of It by Jeannette Haien, both of which she more or less rediscovered and wrote forewords to their respective new editions.  Click below to listen to the full reading.

 

Click here to order a signed a copy of State of Wonder.

 

Ann Patchett podcast