Ann Patchett and Jenna Bush Hager Share 5 Modern Classics You Need to Read Right Now: ‘It’s as Close to Perfect as a Book Gets’
From dark academia to literary fiction, their recommendations span a variety of genres
Key Takeaways
- Ann Patchett and Jenna Bush Hager recommend spanning modern classics and family sagas.
- Their picks include Evelyn Waugh's 'Brideshead Revisited' & Donna Tartt's 'The Secret History.
- Both emphasize the power of rereading beloved books throughout your life.
Imagine if you could sit down with your favorite author and talk about reading, writing, beloved books and the power of revisiting certain novels over and over again. That’s exactly what TODAY host Jenna Bush Hager did when she welcomed bestselling author Ann Patchett on her podcast Open Book With Jenna. With more than 15 critically acclaimed novels like Bel Canto, The Dutch House and Tom Lake, Ann not only writes excellent, life-affirming books, but she also recommends them.
On an episode of Open Book With Jenna, the two discussed their love of reading and re-reading favorite novels. “I know this because you recommend books to me, but reading really is one of the greatest loves of your entire life,” Jenna said to Ann. Ann answered immediately, “It’s all I do. I’m evangelical about it.”
Want to hear about more books they can’t get enough of? You’re in the right place! Here, we gathered up a few of Jenna and Ann’s must-read backlist books (titles on sale for a year or more!) and modern classics they can’t stop recommending. From dark academia to sprawling family sagas and literary fiction, we have something for everyone.
Ann and Jenna on the power of re-reading favorites
Over the years, Ann Patchett and Jenna Bush Hager both champion books and authors—and on one particular episode of Jenna’s podcast they discussed the power of revisiting novels. In fact, Jenna recently emphasized how Ann is her favorite writer and the book she’s re-read most recently is none other than Ann’s most recent novel, Whistler.
“She is my favorite writer,” Jenna gushed during a TODAY show segment. “[Whistler] is so good. I read it twice. I finished it again this morning. It’s about a woman named Daphne reunited with the stepfather she has not seen in 40 years. But their bond was never broken and love still endures.”
Another book they both reread so many times they lost count? Charlotte’s Web by E.B. White. “I read it constantly,” Ann said, recalling how many times she started the story over again.
Jenna also weighed in on how revisiting the book is just as powerful today. “I talk about Charlotte’s Web all the time,” Jenna said. “It is one of the most beautifully written books for adults, too.”
Backlists and modern classics—from Donna Tartt to Evelyn Waugh
During their 45-minute conversation, Ann and Jenna gushed over the joy of reading and recommending new must-reads and backlists. “I love books,” Jenna said. “But what I really love is a recommendation. They’re so much fun.”
They both weigh the balance of reading for work and pleasure, but ultimately agreed there’s no greater joy than reading what you want to read. “So much of my reading is me saying, ‘I have to read this’—there’s such a backlog because so many people are pulling me for their book needs,” said Ann.
“What’s incredible is when I can then step back and say, ‘I’m going to read what I want to read.’ And that changes everything because I read galleys the way I read the newspaper—everything is just so current.”
Keep scrolling to see which older titles Ann revisited over the summer and which modern classic Jenna will never stop recommending.
‘Brideshead Revisited’ by Evelyn Waugh
First published in 1945, Brideshead Revisited—which was made into a TV series in 1981 starring Jeremy Irons—is widely considered Evelyn Waugh’s greatest work. The story, set between the World Wars from the 1920s to the 1940s, follows the life of Charles Ryder, his relationship to the aristocratic Flyte family and his adoration of the family’s estate, Brideshead. Filled with lyrical prose and poignant moments, the book covers themes of nostalgia, the decline of English nobility, faith, loss and regret.
Why Ann loves it: “One of the books I listened to this summer was Jeremy Irons reading Brideshead Revisited,” she told Jenna. “I read Brideshead Revisited in my 20s. It was the best thing in the world. Oh my God. It was so incredible. I cleaned every square inch of my house because I just kept thinking, I can’t stop listening to this.”
What other readers are saying: “What attracted me most, however, is Evelyn Waugh’s beautiful prose; it is both poetic and metaphoric. It captures the nostalgic and melancholic tone of the story quite elegantly. It is certainly his forte. This is my first reading of a work by him, and I’m simply blown by his writing. It is incredibly beautiful.”
‘Mighty Red’ by Louise Erdrich
One of Ann’s favorite backlist reads is The Mighty Red—and it’s a book she recommended to Jenna as soon as she read it. Set in a small North Dakota community, Louise Erdrich’s novel revolves around a wedding that brings together a complex cast of characters, including Gary, a nervous young farmer, Kismet, the woman he hopes to marry, and Hugo, the gentle giant who is also in love with her. As their lives collide, the story becomes a warm, funny, yet heartbreaking look at love, family, grief and the challenges facing a rural prairie community.
Why Ann loves it: “I love this book. I read it such a long time ago. I remember emailing you about this one and being like, ‘heads up,’” Ann told Jenna. “This book just stays with me. Louise needs to win the Nobel—she’s incredible. Her entire body of work. She is it.”
What other readers love it: “The plot focuses on a love triangle between three teens—with multiple connected storylines from a parade of the town’s memorable characters—amidst the 2008 and 2009 financial crisis and its rippling consequences: local businesses are shuttering, lands and homes are being foreclosed upon, cars repossessed. Erdrich weaves in the effects of mining, fracking, toxic pesticides and herbicides on the soil, water, wildlife and people of the area. Don’t miss this beautifully written ode to both the fragility of romantic love and our natural world.”
‘Independent People’ by Halldór Laxness
This novel by Icelandic author Halldor Laxness won the Nobel Prize in 1955. Set in the early 20th century, the publisher says it brings to mind “both Iceland’s medieval epics and classics like Sigrid Undset’s Kristin Lavransdatter.” The tale follows an ordinary sheep farmer, Bjartur of Summerhouses. All Bjartur wants in life is to raise his flocks independently…no matter what his family thinks. As the aftermath of WWI drums on, Bjartur’s obsession with freedom eventually forces him to his own humanity.
Why Ann loves it: “If I just had to pick one book to read again and again, this would be an awfully good one.”
Why other readers love it: “The characters are just perfect, and Bjartur must be one of the most interesting and complicated protagonists I’ve ever encountered. Every time I read it I am overwhelmed. Literature at its best: I can’t believe that anyone could come away from this untouched. I have read several other Laxness novels, but this is undoubtedly his masterpiece. It is a travesty that it is so little known; Independent People is one of the great modern classics and, to paraphrase Leithauser, this novel genuinely is not just good, not just great, but the book of my life.”
‘The Loneliness of Sonia and Sunny’ by Kiran Desai
Award-winning author of The Inheritance of Loneliness Kiran Desai returned with another bestseller last year—and it’s one of Ann’s top reads of 2025. Set between Vermont, Brooklyn and India, this poignant story follows Sonia, a college student and aspiring writer, and Sunny, a struggling journalist, as they each try to find happiness and a sense of belonging far from home. When their families arrange for them to meet, and hopefully strike a match, their well-meaning meddling only drives Sonia and Sunny apart. Uncertain of their future, they embark on a journey. One that asks the question, “Is happiness possible amid the alienation of the modern world?”
Why Ann loves it: “A spectacular literary achievement. I wanted to pack a little suitcase and stay inside this book forever.”
Why other readers love it: “I primarily listened to this one, and the narrator was amazing. I loved it so much I bought the hardcover. I underlined so many passages. The prose is absolutely gorgeous. This novel and Flashlight made my shortlist for the Booker Prize, and in my opinion, either should have won. They are two of the best written novels I’ve read in a very long time.”
The one book Jenna will never stop recommending!
If you’re like us, you’re probably a big fan of Jenna Bush Hager’s book club, Read With Jenna. And one book she has mentioned many times over the years is Donna Tartt’s Secret History. Not only is it a formative book for Jenna, but it’s the very book that launched the dark academia genre—a genre that explores the alluring, sometimes dangerous, appeal of intellectual pursuits. In December 2022, Jenna chose it as her book club pick of the month.
“With a book as layered as The Secret History, there’s going to be new revelations every time you read it. I feel like this is the type of book that needs to be reread every 10, 20, 30 years.”
‘The Secret History’ by Donna Tartt
When Donna Tartt wrote The Secret History in 1992, she had no idea she was creating what would one day be considered the blueprint for dark academia. The atmospheric story follows six students at a New England university who study Greek under the charismatic professor Julian Morrow. Their studies open the door to a new way of thinking and living, far removed from their everyday lives—but as their fascination deepens, their morals begin to slip, leading to obsession, betrayal and, ultimately, murder.
Why Jenna loves it: “The Secret History, to me, is almost as close to perfect as a book gets,” Jenna told TODAY. “It is a pillar of the last 30 years in literature,” she says.
Why other readers love it: “The first paragraph of The Secret History roughly sums up the mood of the book. In it, the narrator, Richard Papen, says that he thinks his fatal flaw is ‘a morbid longing for the picturesque at all costs’. If you can relate to these words, chances are you’ll love this. It is both an intellectual novel of ideas and a murder mystery without the whodunnit element. Overall, Donna Tartt’s great gift as a writer is her magnificent talent for description.”
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