Jenna Bush Hager Recommends 4 Authors She Can’t Stop Gushing About
The 'Today' co-host's list of favorite writers includes Alice Hoffman, Ann Patchett and more
Key Takeaways
- Jenna Bush Hager shares four authors whose work has made a lasting impression on her.
- Her favorites include Ann Patchett, Alice Hoffman, Toni Morrison and Maya Angelou.
- From ‘The Witches of Cambridge’ to ‘The Bluest Eye,’ these authors' works span genres.
Finding an author whose books you love–a writer whose novels become auto-buys—can be difficult sometimes, but Jenna Bush Hager has you covered. Over the years the Today show co-host and Read With Jenna book club founder has shared some of her favorite writers, and they range from Ann Patchett to Alice Hoffman. To learn more, keep scrolling!
Ann Patchett
Ann Patchett is the award-winning author of several bestselling novels, including Bel Canto, Commonwealth and Tom Lake. She also wrote The Dutch House, a Read With Jenna pick in September 2019. The plot follows Danny and Maeve Conroy, two siblings who are exiled from their childhood home by their stepmother. Despite that, the two thrive and, over the years, they find themselves bonding in ways they never thought possible.
Then, in 2026 Jenna praised Whistler, Ann’s newest novel, in which Daphne Fuller reconnects with her former stepfather Eddie after not seeing him for decades. It’s a beautiful tale of family, love and loss.
What Jenna says: “She [Ann] is my favorite writer. This book [Whistler] is so good. I read it twice. I finished it again this morning. It is 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.”
What other readers are saying: “Whistler, by Ann Patchett, is an homage to love, connection, and memory. Its protagonist, 53-year-old Daphne Fuller, runs into her stepfather, Eddie Triplett, at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. Eddie was her mother’s second husband, and they have not seen or heard from each other since the divorce, around 40 years ago. Despite all the time that has transpired, they pick up their once-close relationship and engage in an intimate and lovely friendship.”
Alice Hoffman
Most people know and adore Alice Hoffman for her book Practical Magic, but Jenna is just as in love with Alice’s newest novel, The Witches of Cambridge, which was a Read with Jenna pick this month. Set in 1950s Cambridge, Massachusetts, the story begins when Ava and her roommate Lauren discover a secret society of witches at Radcliffe.
What Jenna says: “I am so excited to have one of my favorite authors,” Jenna told Alice on her podcast Read with Jenna this month. “I’ve loved your work for—I don’t know how many years it’s been—but definitely 20-plus years. And so to get to be with you today, but also to have you be part of this book club that we have going on, just means so much.”
What other readers are saying: “I have yet to be disappointed in an Alice Hoffman book, and this was no exception. There are few writers who can pull you into a story the way she does. You can perfectly picture everything. You can hear the characters’ voices. More importantly, you feel their feelings. I devoured her books and finished this one in one day. However, the story will stay with me. I will wake up tomorrow thinking about it still. I’m not going to summarize or spoil the story in any way. It’s just another fantastic book written by one of my favorite authors.”
Toni Morrison
Toni Morrison was a groundbreaking author praised by critics, fellow writers and readers for how accurately she portrayed racial injustices in literature. Morrison’s most famous novel is Beloved, which was published in 1987. It’s set in 1873 and follows Sethe, an escaped slave who believes her house is haunted by the daughter she killed 18 years prior. Prior to that, Toni released The Bluest Eye in 1970, her debut novel, which followed Pecola Breedlove, an 11-year-old African American girl who prays to become beautiful, like the girls in her school.
What Jenna says: “She was somebody that I always wanted to meet. The first interview I ever did was with Diane Sawyer and she asked me who I would be starstruck about if they walked in—this was a long time ago so I think she expected me to say someone along the lines of Brad Pitt. But I said Toni Morrison, and she was going to surprise me and introduce us but I was flying somewhere right afterwards. I think I would have had a heart attack right there. I’ve listened to everything she’s ever said and of course, read all of her books. The Bluest Eye changed me in a way that I can’t even really describe.”
What other readers are saying: “The Bluest Eye is an authentic snapshot of a young Black girl who is accepting of the harshest of opinions by others, including her family. Told that she is ugly, weak, and without value to the degree that she may become, in her own mind, the person they tell her she is.”
Maya Angelou
Maya Angelou wasn’t just an award-winning essayist, memoirist and poet—she was one of the most celebrated literary voices of the 20th century, best known for the landmark memoir I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings. Her lesser-known 2013 memoir, Mom & Me & Mom, is just as powerful. In it, Maya reveals what it was like to have her mother abandon her and her brother as children, only to reconnect a decade later. It’s honest, raw and real and it’s a great portrayal of what it’s like to be left by a parent only to reconcile years later.
What Jenna says: “I was able to interview Maya Angelou shortly before she died. When people ask me what the greatest gift I’ve ever gotten through the Today show is, it would be that interview.”
What other readers are saying: “After reading this book I really feel that you have a greater appreciation for mothers. Maya spoke so highly of her mom dispute her giving them up when they were kids. Maya understood that her mom did the best she could and as she got older her mom was there for her to offer any kind of help in any way that she could. The true definition of a good mom is the one who is there for her kids in every way, has their back and gives them unconditional love and support.”
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