Ann Patchett Reveals Her Favorite Book of Her Own: ‘It’s Kind of My Heart’ (Exclusive)
The bestselling novelist has a simple rule for picking which of her 10 novels she loves most
Key Takeaways
- Ann Patchett says her favorite novel is always her newest one: right now, ‘Whistler.’
- ‘Whistler’ was inspired by her late friend Jim Fox, to whom the book is dedicated.
- Patchett's next book, ‘Button at the Bookstore,’ is inspired by her dog Nemo.
Throughout her career, Ann Patchett has written 10 bestselling novels, all of which are loved by readers. But which of those books does the author love the most? We asked her at the 2026 Library of Congress National Book Festival and her answer might surprise you. To discover the answer, keep reading.
Ann Patchett reveals which novel of hers is her favorite
Patchett’s first book, The Patron Saint of Liars, was published in 1992. Since then she has written nine other novels—Taft, The Magician’s Assistant, Bel Canto, Run, State of Wonder, Commonwealth, The Dutch House, Tom Lake and her latest, Whistler, which was published just a few months ago. But when we asked her which one is her favorite, she said her favorite is always her newest one, meaning that right now, Whistler is her favorite.
Whistler follows Daphne Fuller after she runs into her former stepfather Eddie Triplett at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The two haven’t seen each other since Daphne was 9, when a devastating accident changed both of their lives. But now that they’ve found each other again, Daphne and Eddie are determined to make the most of it. After all, isn’t family the strongest bond of all?
“I always like the new one the best, and Whistler, it’s kind of my heart,” Patchett tells Woman’s World. “It’s also very much about my friend Jim Fox, who the book is dedicated to, and so it makes me happy that people are talking about Jim Fox and hearing about him, and so I love that.”
Who was Jim Fox?
Fox was a close friend of Patchett’s who died in 2024 from pancreatic cancer. He was 85 at the time and prior to his death he worked as head legal counsel at HarperCollins. Fox also served as the inspiration for Eddie, but according to Patchett there were a few differences between the real man and the book character.
“He [Fox] was brilliant, and a great reader,” the author told The Associated Press in June of this year. “Jim isn’t Eddie and I’m not Daphne, and certainly the circumstances aren’t the same, but the huge love that Eddie and Daphne shared is the huge love Jim and I shared.”
Is Ann Patchett working on any other books?
Since Patchett says her newest book is always her favorite, we had to ask what her next written work will be. The unexpected answer? A children’s book called Button at the Bookstore. The story is about a dog named Button after he is adopted by Sasha, a bookstore owner. It’s heartfelt, adorable and inspired by Patchett’s own adopted dog, Nemo, who now works at her bookstore Parnassus Books in Nashville, Tennessee.
You can preorder Button at the Bookstore, written by Ann Patchett and illustrated by Robin Preiss Glasser, now, wherever books are sold.
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