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Showing 1 - 20 of 27 items
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Women biography, Anthologies, Literature biography
Human-narrated audio
The beloved New York Times bestselling author reflects on home, family, friendships and writing in this deeply personal collection of…
essays. "Any story that starts will also end." As a writer, Ann Patchett knows what the outcome of her fiction will be. Life, however, often takes turns we do not see coming. Patchett ponders this truth in these wise essays that afford a fresh and intimate look into her mind and heart. At the center of These Precious Days is the title essay, a surprising and moving meditation on an unexpected friendship that explores "what it means to be seen, to find someone with whom you can be your best and most complete self." When Patchett chose an early galley of actor and producer Tom Hanks' short story collection to read one night before bed, she had no idea that this single choice would be life changing. It would introduce her to a remarkable woman—Tom's brilliant assistant Sooki—with whom she would form a profound bond that held monumental consequences for them both. A literary alchemist, Patchett plumbs the depths of her experiences to create gold: engaging and moving pieces that are both self-portrait and landscape, each vibrant with emotion and rich in insight. Turning her writer's eye on her own experiences, she transforms the private into the universal, providing us all a way to look at our own worlds anew, and reminds how fleeting and enigmatic life can be. From the enchantments of Kate DiCamillo's children's books (author of the upcoming The Beatryce Prophecy) to youthful memories of Paris; the cherished life gifts given by her three fathers to the unexpected influence of Charles Schultz's Snoopy; the expansive vision of Eudora Welty to the importance of knitting, Patchett connects life and art as she illuminates what matters most. Infused with the author's grace, wit, and warmth, the pieces in These Precious Days resonate deep in the soul, leaving an indelible mark—and demonstrate why Ann Patchett is one of the most celebrated writers of our time
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General fiction, Bestsellers (Fiction), Adventure stories, Family stories
Human-narrated audio
Vogel Pharmaceutical sends pharmacologist Marina Singh to Amazonian Brazil to locate elusive employee Dr. Annick Swenson, who was once Singh's…
professor. While investigating the status of Swenson's fertility-drug research, Singh also hopes to uncover the fate of colleague Anders Eckman, whom Swenson reported dead. Some strong language. Bestseller. 2011
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Bestsellers (Non-fiction), Literature, Literature biography, Philosophy, Criticism, Journals and memoirs, Anthologies, Women biography
Human-narrated audio
Twenty-two essays by the author of Bel Canto (DB 54190) explore the commitments one chooses throughout life. Topics include friendship,…
career, pets, and marriage. "The Bookstore Strikes Back" reflects on Patchett's experiences as co-owner of a bookstore. Bestseller. 2013
Braille (Contracted), Electronic braille (Contracted), DAISY audio (Direct to player), DAISY audio (Zip)
Family stories, Bestsellers (Fiction), General fiction, Serious and literary fiction
Human-narrated audio, Human-transcribed braille
Deputy District Attorney Burt Cousins unexpectedly shows up at the christening party for cop Fix Keating's baby daughter. Burt meets…
Fix's beautiful wife, Beverly, and steals a kiss. The ramifications of this play out for both families over five decades. Strong language. Bestseller. 2016
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Family stories
Human-narrated audio
Since their mother's death, Tip and Teddy Doyle have been raised by their loving, possessive, and ambitious father. As the…
former mayor of Boston, Bernard Doyle wants to see his sons in politics, a dream the boys have never shared. But when an argument in a blinding New England snowstorm inadvertently causes an accident that involves a stranger and her child, all Bernard cares about is his ability to keep his children - all his children - safe. 2007.
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Bestsellers (Fiction), Family stories
Human-narrated audio
One Sunday afternoon in Southern California, Bert Cousins shows up at Franny Keating’s christening party uninvited. Before evening falls, he…
has kissed Franny’s mother, Beverly, setting in motion the dissolution of their marriages and the joining of two families. This chance encounter reverberates through the lives of the four parents and six children involved. Spending summers together in Virginia, the Keating and Cousins children forge a lasting bond that is based on a shared disillusionment with their parents and the strange and genuine affection that grows up between them. When, in her twenties, Franny begins an affair with the legendary author Leon Posen and tells him about her family, the story of her siblings is no longer hers to control. Their childhood becomes the basis for his successful book, ultimately forcing them to come to terms with their losses, their guilt, a dark secret, and the deeply loyal connection they feel for one another. Bestseller. 2016.
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General fiction
Human-narrated audio
"'Do you think it's possible to ever see the past as it actually was?' I asked my sister. We were…
sitting in her car, parked in front of the Dutch House in the broad daylight of early summer." At the end of the Second World War, Cyril Conroy combines luck and a single canny investment to begin an enormous real estate empire, propelling his family from poverty to enormous wealth. His first order of business is to buy the Dutch House, a lavish estate in the suburbs outside of Philadelphia. Meant as a surprise for his wife, the house sets in motion the undoing of everyone he loves. The story is told by Cyril's son Danny, as he and his older sister, the brilliantly acerbic and self-assured Maeve, are exiled from the house where they grew up by their stepmother. The two wealthy siblings are thrown back into the poverty their parents had escaped from and find that all they have to count on is one another. It is this unshakeable bond between them that both saves their lives and thwarts their futures. Set over the course of five decades, The Dutch House is a dark fairy tale about two smart people who cannot overcome their past. Despite every outward sign of success, Danny and Maeve are only truly comfortable when they're together. Throughout their lives they return to the well-worn story of what they've lost with humor and rage. But when at last they're forced to confront the people who left them behind, the relationship between an indulged brother and his ever-protective sister is finally tested. The Dutch House is the story of a paradise lost, a tour de force that digs deeply into questions of inheritance, love and forgiveness, of how we want to see ourselves and of who we really are. Filled with suspense, you may read it quickly to find out what happens, but what happens to Danny and Maeve will stay with you for a very long time.
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General fiction, Historical fiction
Human-narrated audio
1960's. Pregnant, Rose Clinton leaves behind in California the short-lived marriage she had misinterpreted as a sign of God, and…
starts the long drive to Kentucky. She plans a temporary stay at Saint Elizabeth's, a home for unwed mothers, but instead, her reluctance to give up her baby leads to an additional marriage. The next fifteen years at Saint Elizabeth's are narrated first by Rose's newest husband and then by her daughter Cecilia. Strong language. 1992.
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Bestsellers (Fiction), General fiction
Human-narrated audio
Vogel Pharmaceutical sends pharmacologist Marina Singh to Amazonian Brazil to locate elusive employee Dr. Annick Swenson, who was once Singh’s…
professor. While investigating the status of Swenson’s fertility-drug research, Singh also hopes to uncover the fate of colleague Anders Eckman, whom Swenson reported dead. Some strong language. Bestseller. 2011.
Braille (Contracted), Electronic braille (Contracted), DAISY Audio (Direct to Player), DAISY Audio (Zip), DAISY text (Direct to player), DAISY text (Zip), Word (Zip), ePub (Zip)
General fiction
Synthetic audio, Human-transcribed braille
A Read with Jenna Today Show Book Club Pick!From the New York Times bestselling author of Commonwealth and State of…
Wonder, comes Ann Patchett’s most powerful novel to date: a richly moving story that explores the indelible bond between two siblings, the house of their childhood, and a past that will not let them go. The Dutch House is the story of a paradise lost, a tour de force that digs deeply into questions of inheritance, love and forgiveness, of how we want to see ourselves and of who we really are.At the end of the Second World War, Cyril Conroy combines luck and a single canny investment to begin an enormous real estate empire, propelling his family from poverty to enormous wealth. His first order of business is to buy the Dutch House, a lavish estate in the suburbs outside of Philadelphia. Meant as a surprise for his wife, the house sets in motion the undoing of everyone he loves.The story is told by Cyril’s son Danny, as he and his older sister, the brilliantly acerbic and self-assured Maeve, are exiled from the house where they grew up by their stepmother. The two wealthy siblings are thrown back into the poverty their parents had escaped from and find that all they have to count on is one another. It is this unshakeable bond between them that both saves their lives and thwarts their futures.Set over the course of five decades, The Dutch House is a dark fairy tale about two smart people who cannot overcome their past. Despite every outward sign of success, Danny and Maeve are only truly comfortable when they’re together. Throughout their lives they return to the well-worn story of what they’ve lost with humor and rage. But when at last they’re forced to confront the people who left them behind, the relationship between an indulged brother and his ever-protective sister is finally tested.
Braille (Contracted), Electronic braille (Contracted)
General fiction, Movie and television tie-ins
Human-transcribed braille
Terrorists storm a gathering hosted by an underprivileged country to promote foreign interest and trade. When the translator plays a…
vital role in the subsequent relationships between different nationalities, it is the terrorist strike that most effectively promotes foreign relations. 2002.
DAISY audio (Direct to player), DAISY audio (Zip)
Biography, Journals and memoirs, Women biography, Careers and job hunting, General non-fiction
Human-narrated audio
An inspirational primer based on the author's 2006 commencement address at Sarah Lawrence College. Ann Patchett offers hope and inspiration…
for anyone at a crossroads, whether graduating, changing careers, or transitioning from one life stage to another. With wit and candour, she tells her story of attending college, graduating, and struggling with the inevitable question, What now? c2008.
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LGBTQ+ fiction, General fiction, Serious and literary fiction
Human-narrated audio
After working as his assistant for more than 20 years, Sabine marries her beloved boss, Parcifal, knowing that he's gay…
and has just lost his lover. What she doesn't find out until after his death is that Parcifal was actually Guy Fettera from Alliance Nebraska and had a family he never spoke about. c1997.
DAISY audio (Direct to player), DAISY audio (Zip)
Biography, Literature biography, Women biography
Human-narrated audio
Ann Patchett shares stories of the people, places, ideals, and art to which she has remained indelibly committed, bringing into…
focus the large experiences and small moments that have shaped her as a daughter, wife, and writer. Stretching from her childhood to the present day, from a disastrous early marriage to a later happy one, Patchett covers a multitude of topics, including relationships with family and friends, and charts the hard work and joy of writing, and the unexpected thrill of opening a bookstore. 2013.
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Biography, Literature biography, Science and medicine biography, Women biography, Disabilities, General non-fiction
Human-narrated audio
Author reminisces about her long-term friendship with Lucy Grealy, whom she met in college at Sarah Lawrence and who wrote…
"Autobiography of a Face", describing her battle with facial cancer. Patchett describes their relationship until Grealy's 2002 death from a heroin overdose. 2004.
DAISY audio (Direct to player), DAISY audio (Zip)
General fiction, Movie and television tie-ins
Human-narrated audio
Terrorists storm a gathering hosted by an underprivileged country to promote foreign interest and trade. When the translator plays a…
vital role in the subsequent relationships between different nationalities, it is the terrorist strike that most effectively promotes foreign relations. c2001.
Braille (Contracted), Electronic braille (Contracted)
General fiction
Human-transcribed braille
Drummer John Nickel becomes manager of Muddy's, a Memphis bar, after his son Franklin is born. When Franklin's mother moves…
him to Florida, the void in John's life is filled by young Fay, who applies as a waitress, and her troubled brother, Carl. As John becomes entangled in their lives and fantasizes about what their late father was like, he realizes it is impossible to keep everyone safe. Strong language and some violence
Braille (Contracted), Electronic braille (Contracted)
General fiction, Historical fiction, Suspense and thrillers, Mysteries and crime stories, Serious and literary fiction, Romance, Adventure stories
Human-transcribed braille
The private performance of soprano Roxane Coss entices Japanese industrialist Katsumi Hosokawa to attend a party in his honor in…
South America. During the performance, guerrillas occupy the mansion, taking everyone hostage. As the crisis continues, relationships between captors and captives come into play. Some strong language. PEN/Faulkner Award. 2001
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Short storiesAnthologies
Human-narrated audio
Twenty stories from the New Yorker and other periodicals. In Alice Munro's "The View from Castle Rock" a Scottish family…
emigrates to Canada. Also includes Tobias Wolff's "Awaiting Orders" and selections by Donna Tartt, Mary Gaitskill, and others. Some descriptions of sex, some violence, and some strong language. 2006
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General fiction, Suspense and thrillers, Contemporary romance
Human-narrated audio
The private performance of lyric soprano Roxane Coss entices Japanese industrialist Katsumi Hosokawa to attend a party in his honor…
in South America. While the audience applauds, guerrillas occupy the mansion taking everyone hostage. As the outer world recedes, relationships between captors and captives come into play. Some strong language. PEN/Faulkner Award. 2001