Ann Patchett
6/15/202630 min
Ann Patchett is the bestselling author of ten novels, including Bel Canto, Commonwealth, The Dutch House, and Tom Lake, the co-owner of Parnassus Books, and the recipient of numerous literary honors. She joins live at the TED Conference to discuss the creative process, the lessons she's learned from love and marriage, and why she continues to find evidence of generosity and hope everywhere she looks.
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First 90 secondsAnn Patchett· Guest0:01
2026 is the best year I have seen for fiction since I opened the bookstore 15 years ago.
Speaker 20:09
[Instrumental music] From the TED Audio Collective, this is Design Matters with Debbie Millman. On Design Matters, Debbie talks with some of the most creative people in the world about what they do, how they got to be who they are, and what they're thinking about and working on. On this episode, we're featuring a conversation Debbie had with Ann Patchett at the TED Conference, in celebration of Ann Patchett receiving the 2026 TED Women Trailblazer Award, presented by Pivotal.
Ann Patchett· Guest0:40
The secret to happiness is low expectations.
Speaker 30:44
[Instrumental music] Frustration with work is real. How do you build a fulfilling life when you're spending 40-plus hours a week doing something that feels more like a paycheck than a purpose?
Jodi Kantor· Soundbite0:58
The workplace is our engine of progress, and it can give you a very special kind of happiness that's different from the happiness available, say, in the family or romantic realm. And I want young people to know that that exists because many of them understandably just think work is, like, horrible and something to protect yourself against.
Speaker 31:23
That's award-winning New York Times investigative journalist Jodi Kantor. Hear her insights on finding