On the publication date of her seventh novel Commonwealth, author and bookseller Ann Patchett (Bel Canto, Run, State of Wonder, etc.) launched the book onstage with her friend J. Courtney Sullivan (The Engagements, etc.). The conversation touched on the joys and pitfalls of first chapters, Ann's mother's take on the new novel ("None of it happened and all of it is true"), the freedom Patchett learned from Catholicism, engaging with the Nashville community as a retailer vs. as an artist, and a lot of really great book recommendations.