Ann Patchett on Narrating Whistler

An interview with the author and owner of Parnassus Books

Jun 17, 2026

June 17, 2026

*Pauses audiobook*

We’ve been fortunate at Libro.fm over the years to work with a number of authors who are just as excited about independent bookshops as we are. And very few are as passionate as Ann Patchett. Author of the recently released Whistler, as well as other bestselling books like Tom Lake, The Dutch House, Bel Canto, and Commonwealth, Ann is also the owner of Parnassus Books in Nashville, TN.

Ann Patchett holds her book Whistler inside Parnassus Books

A few years ago, our team even had the chance to visit the store to interview Ann in person for our podcast. The fomo I have for not being on that trip! Parnassus provides a refuge for readers of all ages who share a love for the written word. And they have great events, and great dogs (shout out to Nemo, a celebrity at this point).

But there’s something many readers might not know about Ann’s new novel: not only is she the narrator, but it’s the first novel she has narrated. And following in the wake of Meryl Streep’s recording of Tom Lake and Tom Hanks’ of The Dutch House, that is no easy feat—but she does an incredible job.

A bookseller, author, and narrator’s POV all in one? Of course, we had to reach out to Ann to see if she’d be interested in chatting with us for the newsletter! Not only did she say yes, but she shared behind-the-scenes footage with us of the recording process.

Read on for both the interview and video with Ann!

A quick note: Please know that we will never monetize this newsletter. We are aware of and in opposition to Substack’s content moderation policies, and will actively monitor for alternative options.

An interview with Ann Patchett

The following has been lightly edited for length and clarity.

What’s it like owning and running your bookstore, Parnassus Books, and what would you say draws folks in to visit?

I own the store but I most surely do not run it, as any of the many people who run it will attest. I’m a good judge of character and I’m not controlling. I’ve hired great people, who in turn hired more great people. I trust them with my life. As for what draws people to the store, I think it’s the good people who work there. Most days we’re a happy bunch. We like one another. We like reading books and talking about books. We get along. The sense of community among the staff extends to the community of the customers. It’s a very nice vibe. Plus we have dogs, and we welcome your dogs.

Your new book, Whistler, is the first novel you’ve narrated. What compelled you to narrate it, and what was the process like? Take us behind the scenes!

I’ve always narrated my nonfiction but I’ve never thought I’d be able to pull off a novel. Then the wonderful Suzanne Mitchell from Harper Audio, who had directed me for These Precious Days (and directed Tom Hanks for The Dutch House and Meryl Streep for Tom Lake), said when she read the book, she heard it in my voice. She wanted me to give it a try.

I would never have asked for the job, but I was excited to get it. I read the book aloud in my office four times to practice, and every time I read it, I got a lot better at it. When Suzanne came to Nashville, she suggested that I read all of the childhood scenes in one go. This was a brilliant idea, both in terms of the voice and in terms of the emotions of the scenes. We did all of that on the first day and it made everything that followed so much easier.

Did you find yourself connecting with or seeing your characters in a new way as a narrator?

There were things I understood about the book by reading it aloud so many times. It was both funnier and sadder than I thought it was when I was writing it. I found a lot of compassion for the Hotallings, which I hadn’t known was in there. It was a great exercise. I read aloud a lot when I’m writing but to read so continually, deeply, is something that should be integrated into my writing.

What do you think most readers don’t realize about audiobooks or the narrating process?

That most of the problems have to do with the sounds your stomach is making. I don’t think of myself as someone who has an especially chatty stomach, but put me in a recording booth and it roars. Suzanne promised me that this is true for everyone. I wound up bringing in a very heavy weighted blanket which I folded up and held over my midsection.

Also, my friend Kimberly Williams Paisley, told me to be animated. Good advice from an actress. I took it.

What are some of your go-to audiobook recommendations?

Bono’s Surrender. You don’t have to know a thing about U2 to love that book. I recommend it to everyone and everyone loves it. The production is fantastic, and he makes you feel like he’s telling his story to you alone in all the world. I’ve recently listened to Arundhati Roy’s Mother Mary Comes to Me and Margaret Atwood’s Book of Lives: A Memoir of Sorts. Both books were long and read by the author. I loved every minute of them.

Want to hear more from Ann? Check out this behind-the-scenes video of her in Whistler’s recording booth!

That’s a wrap on this edition of Headphones On 🎧 Thanks so much to Ann for answering our questions! We will be back in the coming weeks with a digest of recommendations for your TBR.

We’d love to know—what are you reading these days?

Discussion about this post

Ready for more?