Ann Brown

Ann Patchett, born December 2, 1963, is an American author recognized for her novels, including the PEN/Faulkner and Orange Prize-winning "Bel Canto" (2002) and the Pulitzer Prize finalist "The Dutch House" (2019). Her other notable novels include "The Patron Saint of Liars" (1992), "Taft" (1994), "The Magician's Assistant" (1997), "Run" (2007), "State of Wonder" (2011), "Commonwealth" (2016), and "Tom Lake" (2023). Patchett's early life in Los Angeles and later move to Nashville, with a stepfather she described as "very, very weird," influenced her perspective. She attended Catholic school and Sarah Lawrence College before participating in the Iowa Writers' Workshop. Her memoir "Truth & Beauty: A Friendship" explores her relationship with writer Lucy Grealy. Patchett also co-founded the independent bookstore Parnassus Books in Nashville. She has written for numerous publications and her work has been translated into over 30 languages. Patchett deliberately avoids television, cell phones, and social media to maintain focus for her writing.

Ann Patchett was born in Los Angeles on December 2, 1963. Her father was a police captain, and her mother, a nurse, later became a novelist. After her parents divorced, her mother remarried, and the family relocated to Nashville when Patchett was six. She has recounted that her stepfather was an unusual figure who insisted on her mother carrying a pager and responding immediately, a dynamic that may have contributed to Patchett's own aversion to constant connectivity. She received her education at St. Bernard Academy, a Catholic girls' school, and Sarah Lawrence College.

Patchett's writing career began before college with a publication in The Paris Review. For nearly a decade, she worked for Seventeen magazine, focusing on non-fiction. Her debut novel, "The Patron Saint of Liars," was published in 1992, followed by "Taft" (1994), which received the Janet Heidinger Kafka Prize. A significant breakthrough came in 2001 with "Bel Canto," earning her a National Book Critics Circle Award finalist nomination and the PEN/Faulkner Award. Subsequent acclaimed novels include "State of Wonder" (2011) and "Commonwealth" (2016). She also authored the memoir "Truth & Beauty: A Friendship" (2004) and collections of essays. Her novel "The Dutch House" was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 2020.

Patchett emphasizes the importance of deep concentration in her writing process. To protect this focus, she has consciously chosen to forgo modern communication technologies. She does not watch television, own a cell phone, or engage with social media platforms, despite her bookstore having a significant online presence. This deliberate detachment from constant digital interaction allows her to dedicate extended periods to her creative work, a practice she believes is essential for novel writing. Her works have achieved international recognition, translated into more than 30 languages.

“Wouldn't it be lovely if people sat quietly for longer periods of time?...”

“I do, because I write novels for a living...”

“I'm very, very careful with myself because I don't want anything to disrupt my ability to concentrate on one thing for long periods of time.”

“To that end, I do not watch television under any circumstances, I do not have a cell phone, and I participate in no form of social media.”

“I have never looked at Facebook.”