Tennessee author Ann Patchett is celebrated for her novels including “Bel Canto,” “The Dutch House” and “Tom Lake,” which have earned her a laundry list of accolades, including the PEN/Faulkner Award, the National Humanities Medal, and a Pulitzer Prize nomination for which she was a finalist. She was also named one of Time Magazine’s 100 most influential people in the world.
This month, Patchett released her 11th novel, “Whistler,” which draws on some of her own real-life experiences to explore themes including chosen family and second chances. Host Robin Young sat down with Patchett recently to discuss the new book and how she developed it.
Book excerpt: ‘Whistler’
By Ann Patchett
From the book: “Whistler” by Ann Patchett. Copyright © 2026 by Ann Patchett. Reprinted courtesy of Harper, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers.
This article was originally published on WBUR.org.
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