Ann Patchett (Bel Canto, State of Wonder, Commonwealth, The Dutch House) is a celebrated bestselling author, devoted reader, and a champion of literary culture. In 2011 she opened Parnassus Books in Nashville, Tennessee, with her business partner Karen Hayes and has since become a spokesperson and stalwart advocate for independent booksellers. She will be joined in conversation by author Patrick Ryan.

Ann Patchett is the author of eight novels, The Patron Saint of Liars, Taft, The Magician’s Assistant, Bel Canto, Run, State of Wonder, Commonwealth, and The Dutch House. She was the editor of Best American Short Stories, 2006, and has written three books of nonfiction, Truth & Beauty, What now?, and, most recently, This is the Story of a Happy Marriage. She has won numerous prizes, including the PEN/Faulkner Award and the Orange Prize for Fiction, and her work has been translated into more than thirty languages. She was named one of the 100 most influential people in the world by Time magazine. Patchett is the co-owner of Parnassus Books in Nashville, Tennessee, where she lives with her husband, Karl VanDevender, and their dog, Sparky.

Patrick Ryan is the author of the acclaimed short story collection The Dream Life of Astronauts (named one the Best Books of the Year by the St. Louis Times-Dispatch, LitHub, Refinery 29, and Electric Literature) and Send Me (a finalist for The Center for Fiction’s First Novel Prize). He is also the author of three novels for young adults. His fiction has appeared in many literary journals and has been anthologized in The Best American Short Stories. A recipient of fellowships from MacDowell and the National Endowment for the Arts, Ryan is the former associate editor of Granta and is the editor-in-chief of One Story.

Watch the archived event recording here.

EX LIBRIS is a series of virtual programs produced by the Providence Athenæum. Featuring an array of humanities scholars, authors, historians, and thought leaders, these short conversations illuminate fascinating topics and inspire the intellectually curious. Attendees will have the opportunity to submit questions to the speaker after the presentation. You will need access to a computer or other internet-connected device to join the program on Zoom.

Formed in 1991, the Membership Library Group (MLG) is a consortium of 16 membership libraries across the United States. The 16 organizations of the MLG are sharing resources to allow members to hear from and connect with some of the brightest and most innovative minds in literature, history, the arts, and the sciences.

Membership libraries trace their history in America to the 18th century when Benjamin Franklin founded the Library Company of Philadelphia. These libraries played a significant role in their communities. While most subscription libraries were replaced or taken over with the advent of free public libraries in the 19th century, several have survived and thrived.

More information about our sister institutions is available in the 2007 book America’s Membership Libraries.