Wednesday, October 10, 2007

Read this book!


Since I rarely read middle grade or YA fiction while I’m writing, I’ve been reading a lot of adult books lately. It makes a fun change. So, the book I’m recommending is Run, by Ann Patchett. I should say I am immensely biased – Ann Patchett is my author of grown-up books. Her work is accessible, her plots are interesting, and she has a way with images and phrasing that make me have to put the book down every twenty pages or so to catch my breath. That’s high praise!

Run is her latest novel, about a young African-American girl, a Boston Irish-Catholic political family and how an accident on a snowy night links them together. It’s a theme that comes up in her work a lot – random events that bring people together and irrevocably alter the course of their personal stories. This particular book is so newly-released that I don’t want to give away any of the plot (I’m spoiler-averse, myself,) but it is an absolutely lovely book that sticks with you. Which is another thing I love about Ann Patchett – her stories linger. Weeks after I finish them, scenes and images from her books, Run included, bubble up in my brain. To me, that’s the best sign of a good writer.

For more information, you can visit http://www.annpatchett.com/

Happy reading!

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