Ann Patchett says she struggled with how to write about a mother who leaves her children for her latest book, "The Dutch House."

Ann Patchett says she struggled with how to write about a mother who leaves her children for her latest book, "The Dutch House."

Ann Patchett’s latest book is about two siblings, Danny and Maeve. Their mother abandons them as young children, never to return. The two grow up with their father, and an evil stepmother straight out of a fairy tale.

At the center of the story is an old Pennsylvania mansion, which their father purchased after a successful real estate career. But the display of wealth is also part of the reason their mother leaves.

Ann Patchett’s new novel is called “The Dutch House.” She lives in Nashville where she also owns a bookstore, Parnassus.

Guests

  • Ann Patchett Author of eight novels, including "Bel Canto," winner of the PEN/Faulkner Award and the Orange Prize; co-owner of Parnassus Books in Nashville, Tennessee
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