Author of ‘Bel Canto,’ ‘The Dutch House’ and ‘Whistler’ Will Be Awarded Prize at National Book Festival
The Library of Congress has announced that the 2026 Library of Congress Prize for American Fiction will be awarded to Ann Patchett at the National Book Festival on Aug. 22.
The annual Prize for American Fiction, one of the Library’s most prestigious awards, honors an American literary writer whose body of work is distinguished by its mastery of the art, as well as its originality of thought and imagination.
“Ann Patchett crafts moving, probing, tender novels. She has a talent for creating fiction that readers continually devour because she thinks deeply and writes evocatively about human connection,” said Acting Librarian of Congress Robert R. Newlen. “I am thrilled that she is the 2026 Library of Congress Prize for American Fiction recipient.”
The award seeks to recognize strong, unique, enduring voices that, throughout long and consistently accomplished careers, have told us something about the American experience.
“The Library of Congress is one of our nation’s noblest institutions, and it’s full of librarians, who I consider to be the very noblest of people. I am grateful for this award and honored by the association,” said Patchett.
Recipient of the PEN/Faulkner Award, the United Kingdom’s Women’s Prize for Fiction and, most recently, the PEN/Audible Literary Service Award, among other honors, Patchett is the author of 10 novels, including “The Dutch House” (Pulitzer Prize finalist), “The Patron Saint of Liars,” “Bel Canto,” “Commonwealth” and “Taft,” as well as nonfiction and children’s books. She was named one of Time magazine’s 100 Most Influential People in the World and received the National Humanities Medal in recognition of her contributions to American culture. Her books have been translated into more than 30 languages.
Nearly 15 years ago, Patchett opened Parnassus Books in Nashville, Tennessee. She has since become an advocate for independent booksellers, championing books and bookstores. She was the inaugural ambassador for the Book Industry Charitable Foundation and founded the Parnassus Books Foundation, which gives books to children in Title I schools in Nashville.
Patchett will discuss her latest book, “Whistler,” most recently the New York Times No. 1 bestseller, at the 2026 National Book Festival. The novel tells the story of a chance reunion of a grown daughter and her long-lost former stepfather whom she knew briefly during her childhood. Despite the many years that have passed, their indelible bond is evident as they revisit and reflect on the unique trajectories of their lives, revealing the transformative power of reconnection.
For more information on the prize, including previous winners, visit https://www.loc.gov/programs/poetry-and-literature/prizes/fiction-prize/.
About the 2026 National Book Festival
The Library of Congress National Book Festival, one of the nation’s most prestigious literary events, returns on Saturday, Aug. 22, at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington, D.C. The event is free and open to the public. In addition to conversations with authors, poets and illustrators whose literary genres range from fiction to nonfiction, picture book to biography, poetry to young adult, and more, the festival will also offer activities and programs for families and book lovers of all ages.
The 2026 Library of Congress National Book Festival is part of the Library’s celebration of the nation’s semiquincentennial, America 250: It’s Your Story. At this year’s festival, the Library will feature an expansion of programming to celebrate the nation’s 250th anniversary and to showcase the Library’s offerings beyond books to include film, music, veterans’ history and American folklife. Updates on plans for the National Book Festival will be shared at loc.gov/bookfest.
The National Book Festival is made possible by the generous support of private- and public-sector sponsors who share the Library’s commitment to reading and literacy, led by National Book Festival Co-Chair David M. Rubenstein.
About the Library of Congress
The Library of Congress is the world’s largest library, offering access to the creative record of the United States – and extensive materials from around the world – both on-site and online. It is the main research arm of the U.S. Congress and the home of the U.S. Copyright Office. Explore collections, reference services and other programs and plan a visit at loc.gov; access the official site for U.S. federal legislative information at congress.gov; and register creative works of authorship at copyright.gov.
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