Allegra Goodman

Allegra Goodman is an acclaimed novelist and short story writer whose works span literary fiction, young adult literature, and historical fiction. A National Book Award finalist, she is best known for novels such as "Kaaterskill Falls," "Intuition," and "The Cookbook Collector," as well as her young adult dystopian novel "The Other Side of the Island." Her 2025 historical novel "Isola" tells the true story of a 16th-century French woman marooned in the Gulf of Saint Lawrence, while her coming-of-age story "Sam" was selected by Jenna Bush Hager for the Today Show book club.

Born in Brooklyn but raised in Honolulu, Goodman developed her literary voice through poetry and short stories before publishing her first story in "Commentary" in 1986. Her debut collection, "Total Immersion," established her talent for exploring family dynamics, a theme that continues through much of her work. Goodman's writing frequently examines intersections of religion, science, and technology, as seen in novels like "Intuition," which delves into scientific ethics, and "Kaaterskill Falls," which follows an Orthodox Jewish community. She co-authored the writing textbook "Speaking of Writing: A Brief Rhetoric" and balances her writing career with teaching and family life in Cambridge, Massachusetts.