Nashville Best Of 2026 · Best Author
Ann Patchett
Bestselling, award-winning novels, and a bookstore that became the heart of Nashville’s literary life. Author of Bel Canto, The Dutch House, and Tom Lake, and owner of Parnassus Books, Ann Patchett is our pick for the best author in Nashville.
The Verdict
Why Patchett Earns the Title
Nashville is known for its songwriters, but it’s also home to one of America’s great storytellers. Ann Patchett’s novels are celebrated for their warmth, wit, and emotional depth, from the prize-winning Bel Canto to the Pulitzer Prize finalist The Dutch House and the #1 New York Times bestseller Tom Lake. Her essays and memoirs have earned her just as many devoted readers.
What truly sets her apart is what she’s given back to her hometown. When Nashville was left without a major independent bookstore, she co-founded Parnassus Books, now one of the most celebrated indie bookstores in the country. It hosts hundreds of author events each year and has helped make Nashville a destination for writers and readers alike.
2011
Opened Parnassus Books
#1
NYT Bestseller with Tom Lake
100s
Of Author Events at Parnassus Each Year
Signed
Every Patchett Book at Parnassus
Essential Reading
Where to Start
New to Patchett? Start with these, and pick up a signed copy at Parnassus.
Bel Canto (2001)
The novel that made her a literary star, winning the PEN/Faulkner Award and the UK’s Women’s Prize for Fiction. A hostage crisis becomes an unforgettable story about music and love.
The Dutch House (2019)
A sweeping story of a brother and sister and the grand house that shaped their lives. A Pulitzer Prize finalist, it remains one of her most beloved books.
Tom Lake (2023)
Her #1 New York Times bestseller, in which a mother tells her grown daughters the story of a long-ago summer romance while the family gathers on their Michigan cherry farm.
The Story
Nashville’s Literary Champion
Ann Patchett moved to Nashville with her family when she was six years old. She grew up here, attending St. Bernard Academy, and went on to become one of America’s most celebrated novelists, with books including The Patron Saint of Liars, Bel Canto, State of Wonder, Commonwealth, and The Dutch House.
When Nashville lost its major bookstores, she refused to let the city go without one. In 2011 she opened Parnassus Books with business partner Karen Hayes, and in 2022 she became its sole owner. Today the shop hosts hundreds of author events a year, runs a bookmobile, and publishes the online magazine Musing, making Patchett as much a champion of other writers as she is a writer herself.
“An independent bookstore for independent people.”
The Parnassus Books Motto
Where to Find Her
Visit Parnassus Books
The best way to step into Patchett’s world is her Green Hills bookstore, where every one of her books is signed and she often hosts visiting authors.
Location
Parnassus Books
3900 Hillsboro Pike, Suite 14
Nashville, TN 37215
(615) 953-2243
Make a morning of it: Fox’s Donut Den, our Best Donut Shop pick, is in the same shopping center.
Store Hours
Mon–Sat: 10 am – 6 pm
Sun: Noon – 6 pm
Can’t make it in? Parnassus ships signed books daily.
Author Events
Parnassus hosts hundreds of author events each year, including conversations moderated by Patchett herself. Popular events fill up fast, so register early.
Get Lost in a Good Book
Visit Parnassus, pick up a signed Ann Patchett novel, and see why Nashville’s literary heart beats in Green Hills.