Author Amor Towles will be the ambassador for the Book Industry Charitable (Binc) Foundation for the next year, succeeding inaugural ambassador Ann Patchett. In this role, Towles will help "to raise awareness and support for the only nonprofit in the country committed to assisting booksellers in need."
Towles is the author of Rules of Civility, A Gentleman in Moscow, and The Lincoln Highway, and his short stories have appeared in the Paris Review, Granta, British Vogue, and Audible Originals. Later this month an eight-hour miniseries of A Gentleman in Moscow starring Ewan McGregor will air on Showtime and Paramount+, and his new book, Table for Two: Fictions, a collection of six short stories and a novella, will be published by Viking on April 2.
Towles said, "When Ann Patchett asked me to takeover for her as Binc Ambassador, I didn't hesitate. Booksellers are unsung heroes of American cultural life and Binc provides them with a unique source of support when they need it the most."
Patchett commented: "Amor Towles is the perfect person to step in as Ambassador of Binc. Booksellers love him, publishers love him. He's a natural diplomat, as well as being a wonderful writer and a very nice guy. I plan to stick around and be helpful to Amor in any way I can. Binc's mission is so important."
Binc executive director Pam French praised both ambassadors for helping "to ensure we can continue to serve as the safety net for booksellers and comic retailers in hard times. Catastrophes come in all shapes and sizes every day of the year, and Binc is proud to help ensure stores remain open and booksellers can continue handselling all the books they believe in. Thank you for your years of service to Binc, Ann, and welcome, Amor."