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Bel Canto American Classics Edition: A Special Edition of the Heartfelt Novel, in Celebration of America’s 250th Anniversary (HarperCollins American Classics) by Patchett, Ann

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Bel Canto American Classics Edition: A Special Edition of the Heartfelt Novel, in Celebration of America’s 250th Anniversary (HarperCollins American Classics)

by Patchett, Ann

Winner of the PEN/Faulkner Award • Winner of the Orange Prize • National Book Critics Circle Award Finalist • New York Times Readers’ Pick: Top 100 Books of the 21st Century "Bel Canto is its own universe.

Literature & Fiction Classics Genre Fiction Family Saga
Author Patchett, Ann
Published 2026
Format Print edition

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About Bel Canto American Classics Edition: A Special Edition of the Heartfelt Novel, in Celebration of America’s 250th Anniversary (HarperCollins American Classics)

Winner of the PEN/Faulkner Award • Winner of the Orange Prize • National Book Critics Circle Award Finalist • New York Times Readers’ Pick: Top 100 Books of the 21st Century "Bel Canto is its own universe. A marvel of a book." —Washington Post Book World In celebration of the 250th anniversary of the United States, HarperCollins is proud to present this library of American classics drawn from our storied catalog. Bel Canto is New York Times bestselling author Ann Patchett’s spellbinding novel about love and opera, and the unifying ways people learn to communicate across cultural barriers in times of crisis. First published in 2001, Bel Canto is possibly Ann Patchett’s most beloved novel. Set in an unnamed South American country, at the home of the vice president, it is the story of a lavish birthday party honoring Mr. Hosokawa, a powerful Japanese businessman. Roxanne Coss, opera’s most revered soprano, has enthralled the international guests with a mesmerizing performance. The evening is perfect—until a band of gun-wielding terrorists takes the entire party hostage. But in Patchett’s skilled hands, what begins as a panicked, life-threatening scenario slowly evolves into something quite different, a moment of great beauty, as terrorists and hostages forge unexpected bonds and people from different continents become compatriots. Friendship, compassion, and the chance for great love lead the characters to forget the real danger that has been set in motion—and cannot be stopped. A BEAUTIFUL PACKAGE WITH FLAPS: Featuring French flaps and a unique vivid cover design, each book in the collection is published as a deluxe trade paperback that is a part of a stunning series look. HARPER COLLINS AMERICAN CLASSICS: This series includes timeless novels, poetry, children’s books, and groundbreaking nonfiction that has shaped American thought, literature, and identity across generations. AMERICA’S PUBLISHER: Since its founding in 1817, no American publisher has been so entwined in the history of American letters. Our books enrich, challenge, and defined the American spirit. AMERICA 250: The HarperCollins American Classics arrive in time for America’s 250th anniversary celebrations.

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