A beautifully designed edition of number-one New York Times bestselling author Ann Patchetts prized classic, annotated and with an introductionby the author herself.''A book that works both as a paean to art and beauty and a subtly sly comedy of manners''New York TimesFirst published in 2001, Bel Canto is possibly Ann Patchetts 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, operas most revered soprano, has enthralled the international guests with a mesmerizing performance. The evening is perfectuntil a band of gun-wielding terrorists takes the entire party hostage. But in Patchetts 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 compat