Margalit Fox is a former senior writer for The New York Times and a renowned author of narrative nonfiction books. She was born in Glen Cove, New York, and is the daughter of Laura and David Fox, a physicist. Fox went on to study at Barnard College in New York City and then completed her bachelor's degree in 1982 and master's degree in linguistics in 1983 at Stony Brook University. She later earned her master's degree from the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism in 1991.
Before pursuing journalism, Fox trained as a cellist and a linguist. She subsequently became a senior writer in The New York Times's celebrated Obituary News Department, where she wrote the front-page public sendoffs of some of the leading cultural figures of our age. Fox's exceptional writing skills and dedication to her craft have earned her numerous accolades, including the William Saroyan Prize for Literature.
Fox is the author of three previous books, "Conan Doyle for the Defense," "The Riddle of the Labyrinth," and "Talking Hands." Her work has also been featured in Steven Pinker's best-selling book "The Sense of Style" and Vanessa Gould's 2017 documentary "Obit." Fox currently resides in Manhattan with her husband, the writer and critic George Robinson.