Episode · The Book Review · 2023-08-04
Ann Patchett on The Book Review: books mentioned (Aug 2023)
Ann Patchett on Her Summery New Novel
Gilbert Cruz discussed Tom Lake by Ann Patchett, Our Town by Thornton Wilder, These Precious Days by Ann Patchett, Vintage Contemporaries by Dan Kois, and Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus. Ann Patchett recommended The skin of our teeth by Thornton Wilder, and discussed Bel Canto by Ann Patchett and others and The Bridge of San Luis Rey by Thornton Wilder.
Books mentioned, in the order they came up
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Tom Lake
Tom Lake by Ann Patchett is a contemporary novel that follows a mother recounting her past romance with a famous actor to her daughters while the family isolates together on a Michigan cherry farm during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Discussed“we're into August now and this summer season stretches out before us for another month or so until Labor day arrives so it's appropriate that we're talking about Tom Lake the new novel from and patet which is full of trees in full bloom wild fruit Summer Stock theater troops and the great state of Michigan”
Where to get it
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Our Town
Our Town by Thornton Wilder is a Pulitzer Prize-winning play that examines the ordinary, everyday lives of the inhabitants of a small fictional American town, ultimately meditating on the universal themes of mortality and human connection.
Discussed“on this episode she speaks about her new novel what it means to own a bookstore in 2023 and the enduring power of Thorton Wilder's our town”
Where to get it
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These Precious Days
These Precious Days by Ann Patchett is a luminous collection of essays that explores friendship, family, mortality, and the creative life with deep grace and warmth.
Discussed“your previous book a collection of essays was called these precious days”
Where to get it
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Bel Canto
Bel Canto by Ann Patchett is a critically acclaimed, high-drama novel known for its sophisticated premise and emotional resonance.
Discussed“I was on book tour for belcanto and my agent told me that I had to go to a little store called McLean and eeken in patoski Michigan”
Where to get it
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The Bridge of San Luis Rey
The Bridge of San Luis Rey by Thornton Wilder is a classic Pulitzer Prize-winning novel that investigates the lives of five individuals who perish when a Peruvian rope bridge collapses, exploring the theological and existential question of why tragedy strikes specific people.
Discussed“Thorton Wilder is just a really interesting writer in that his novels were great the bridge of s Louis Ray actually one of those books that you think oh yeah they they make high school students read that they make high school students read it for a reason”
Where to get it
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The skin of our teeth
The Skin of Our Teeth by Thornton Wilder is a celebrated allegorical play that humorously and inventively depicts the history of the human race through the trials of an ordinary suburban family.
Recommended“are there any outside of our town in the bridge of St Louis Ray that you would recommend our listeners check out by the skin of our teeth of course is fabulous”
Where to get it
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Vintage Contemporaries
Discussed“there was a book from earlier this year called vintage contemporaries by this guy Dan K who who's an editor at slate”
Where to get it
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Lessons in Chemistry
Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus is a witty debut novel set in the early 1960s that follows Elizabeth Zott, a brilliant chemist whose career is sidelined by pervasive workplace sexism, leading her to unexpectedly become the beloved host of a revolutionary cooking show.
Discussed“that is there are so many of them and is the perfect example is Bonnie gas's lessons in chemistry”
Where to get it
