Why debut novels matter

Ann Patchett noticed most fans think her debut was Bel Canto, but it was actually The Patron Saint of Liars. Many readers miss an author's first book entirely.

“When somebody comes up to me and says, 'I've been a fan of yours since your very first book,' I know that 99 percent of the time they mean Bel Canto, which is not the first book I wrote.”

Louise Erdrich's Love Medicine

Erdrich's 1984 debut was a huge award-winning success, following multiple generations of two Native American families grappling with anger, passion and healing.

Erdrich's brilliance from the beginning

Patchett calls Erdrich arguably the best living writer on the planet. She was a bestseller and award winner right out of the gate, and remains prolific and consistently brilliant.

“Louise was a genius, and a bestseller, and an award winner right out of the gate. She is prolific. She is consistently brilliant and arguably the best living writer on this planet.”

Elizabeth Gilbert's hidden gem

Gilbert's actual first book was Pilgrims, a 1997 short story collection that nobody read. It's one of the most beautiful and perfect short story collections Patchett has ever read.

“Everybody read Liz Gilbert's first book, Eat, Pray, Love. Ha! No, it wasn't her first book. It was her fourth book!”

Gilbert's most dedicated work

Pilgrims explores diverse characters like a laborer, musician and cowboy on solo pilgrimages. Gilbert told Patchett she will never work as hard on anything again as she did on this book.

“Liz said to me once, she will never again in her life work as hard on anything as she did on this book.”

Sue Monk Kidd's The Secret Life of Bees

Kidd's 2002 debut novel centers on young, motherless Lily and the strong group of women beekeepers who help raise her in South Carolina in 1964.

Patchett's personal connection to Kidd

Parchett's bookstore Parnassus Books has lauded The Secret Life of Bees since its release. When asked if she knows Sue Monk Kidd personally, Patchett said yes, and added, we like each other.

“Yes, and not only that, we like each other.”

Madeline Miller's The Song of Achilles

Miller's 2012 debut retells the Trojan War legend as a fresh love story and adventure tale, told through the eyes of Patroclus, Achilles' companion and lover.

Patchett's early support launched Miller

Patchett's bookstore named The Song of Achilles its inaugural pick for The First Editions Club. Patchett even blurbed the book, calling it a scholar's homage to The Iliad and startlingly original work of art.

“At once a scholar's homage to The Iliad and startlingly original work of art… A book I could not put down.”

Four debuts, four geniuses

Erdrich, Gilbert, Kidd and Miller all proved they were literary geniuses with their first novels. Each debut offers that cozy, can't-put-it-down feeling readers crave.

If you haven't read it, it's new

Patchett's final advice: if you missed these debut novels, there's always time to go back and fall in love with their work from the beginning. If you haven't read it, it's new to you.

“If you haven't read it, it's new to you!”