Ann Patchett's Bookstore

Ann Patchett opened Parnassus Books in Nashville in 2011, a nearly 5,000 square foot independent bookstore.

Nashville Authors

Patchett recommends five books by fellow Nashville authors, from historical fiction to inspiring essays.

Atomic Love

Jennie Fields' 2020 novel Atomic Love follows a physicist's love affair with a colleague during the Manhattan Project.

“A tomic Love is a novel of science, love, espionage, beautiful writing, and a heroine who carves a strong path in the world of men.”

Black Bottom Saints

Alice Randall's 2020 novel Black Bottom Saints sets in 1961 Detroit, focusing on a gossip columnist's life in the Black Bottom neighborhood.

“A tour de force about all the famous Black artists in Detroit and how they are all, in fact, saints.”

Late Migrations

Margaret Renkl's 2023 essay collection Late Migrations chronicles her childhood, family, and connection to nature in Nashville.

“The shadow side of love is always loss, and grief is only love’s own twin.”

The Comfort of Crows

Margaret Renkl's 2023 book The Comfort of Crows traces a year of nature in her Tennessee backyard through 52 chapters.

“Radiant things are bursting forth in the darkest places, in the smallest nooks and deepest cracks of the hidden world.”

Nashville Scenes

Heidi Ross, Ann Patchett, and Jon Meacham co-created Nashville: Scenes from the New American South in 2018.

“This was not a comprehensive record of the city, this was how the city feels.”