Avid readers know the name Ann Patchett. Her work—from Bel Canto to State of Wonder as well as many other books—has won numerous accolades and awards, and she regularly tops the New York Times bestseller list.
When Nashville recently lost its bookstores, Ann decided to do something about it. She opened Parnassus Books, an independent store, with partner Karen Hayes. I was there for its grand opening and watched the crowds swarm in to celebrate the return of a local bookstore. The excitement over Parnassus quickly spread beyond the city’s borders—in fact, a bestselling author opening a bookstore landed Ann not on the book page, but on the front page, of the New York Times.
Ann recently gave an inspiring keynote address for booksellers in New Orleans. I sat down with her to talk about her success as a writer and her new career as a bookseller.
