The Patron Saint of Liars

novel by Patchett

Written by

The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Last updated

July 16, 2026

Quick Summary

Ann Patchett's first novel, The Patron Saint of Liars, published in 1992, centers on a young, pregnant woman who leaves an unhappy marriage to go to a home for unwed mothers. In this new setting, she forms a chosen family and reevaluates her future plans as her feelings evolve. The novel was adapted into a television movie in 1997.12

Summary created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

2 Britannica Sources

Ask Britannica AI about this topic

Britannica doesn't have a full article on this topic, so we've curated a list of our relevant coverage.

Ann Patchett
Early novels
Her first novel, The Patron Saint of Liars (1992), tells the story of a young pregnant woman who leaves the husband she does not love to travel to a home for unwed mothers. There, as her feelings change and she creates a new family, so do her plans…
Read More
Her first novel, The Patron Saint of Liars (1992), tells the story of a young pregnant woman who leaves the husband she does not love to travel to a home for unwed mothers. There, as her feelings change and she creates a new family, so do her plans…
Read More