Ann Patchett

[laughs]

[Instrumental music] Ann Patchett is a novelist and a bookstore owner.

Her nine novels include Bel Canto and The Dutch House, which was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize.

Her 10th novel, Whistler, was just published by Harper Collins.

I was struck by the fact that when you interviewed Tom Hanks in front of a live audience, right before you took the stage, you whispered to him-

[laughs]

... that you didn't have any questions planned, and you were just going to wing it.

He then immediately shared this with the audience, and everyone laughed.

Um, I gasped out loud when I read that because I'm probably most known for how long it takes me to create and craft my questions in advance of every interview.

So as I take out my notes, um, I hope you won't think less of me for doing that tonight.

Can, can I tell you why I do that?

Yes.

Alan Alda.

Ah.

Al- I interview so many people at Parnassus, and I interviewed Alan for a book he wrote that was called If I Knew What You Were Saying, Why Do I Have This Look on My Face?

[laughs]

It's a, it, it's a really hard title.

But Alan was the person who taught me that you have to do all the preparation, research, write the questions, throw it out, walk on stage, and be fully present.

And he completely changed my life when I, when I read that book and when I interviewed him.

And so that's what I said to Tom, and then Tom mocked me-

[laughs]

...

when we went out on stage, which was fun.

[laughs] Well, I'm going to aspire to be the kind of person that can just throw caution to the wind, um, and, and maybe when I interview you next-

Right