Author, Author!

Ann Patchett's fourth and most critically acclaimed book, Bel Canto, is set in South America but takes place entirely in an opulent living room during a private party overtaken by terrorists. It's based on the Peruvian hostage crisis in 1996, but Patchett manages to create a vivid world within that...

By Megan Feldman

October 11, 2007

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Ann Patchett's fourth and most critically acclaimed book, Bel Canto, is set in South America but takes place entirely in an opulent living room during a private party overtaken by terrorists. It's based on the Peruvian hostage crisis in 1996, but Patchett manages to create a vivid world within that room without ever mentioning the country. Bel Canto won the Pen/Faulkner Award, among other honors. Patchett has said the book was a breakthrough in her ability to structure a novel and successfully use the tricky third person omniscient point of view (think The Russians), which she'd tried and failed with in her previous works. If, like me, you can hardly imagine publishing even one book before growing old, let alone four, get inspired by listening to Patchett speak 7:30 p.m. Wednesday at the Eisemann Center's Countrywide Theater, 2351 Performance Drive in Richardson. Randy Gordon and PegasusNews.com's Catherine Cuellar will interview Patchett for the Writers Studio, presented by The Writer's Garret. Tickets are $28 for members of The Writer's Garret, KERA and other affiliates; $34 for non-members. Call 972-744-4650 or visit writersgarret.org.
Wed., Oct. 17, 7:30 p.m., 2007

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