Ann Patchett, Whistler

From Gays Reading by Jason Blitman

June 5, 2026 · 53 min · Episode 210

About this episode

Jason Blitman interviews Ann Patchett about her latest novel, Whistler, and discusses themes of grief and the writing process.

Host  Jason Blitman  welcomes  Ann Patchett  back to the podcast—last heard discussing her annotated  Bel Canto  in fall 2024—for a conversation about her newest novel,  Whistler . Conversation highlights include: ⏱️ Changes made to the book moments before it went to print 😔 The relationship between missing something and grief  🎭 Whether Ann might ever write for the stage Ann Patchett  is the author of novels, most recently the #1  New York Times  bestselling  Tom Lake , works of nonfiction, and children's books. She has been the recipient of numerous awards, including the PEN/Faulkner, the Women's Prize for Fiction in the UK, and the Book Sense Book of the Year. Her novel  The Dutch House  was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize. Her work has been translated into more than thirty languages, and  Time  magazine named her one of the 100 Most Influential People in the World. President Biden awarded her the National Humanities Medal in recognition of her contributions to American culture. She lives in Nashville, Tennessee, where she is the owner of Parnassus Books. Ann Patchett's New Yorker essay…

People in this episode

Host: Jason Blitman

Guest: Ann Patchett

Topics covered

novel discussion
grief
theater
writing process
literary awards

Keywords

Ann Patchett
Whistler
Bel Canto
Tom Lake
grief
writing
literary awards

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: New York Times, PEN/Faulkner, Women's Prize for Fiction, Book Sense, Time, Parnassus Books

Books & works: Whistler, Bel Canto, Tom Lake, The Dutch House, Glowworms