Rebecca Makkai

Prose narratives examining historical crisis, personal memory, and societal institutions have defined a major strand of contemporary American fiction, notably through acclaimed novels such as The Great Believers. Author Rebecca Makkai crafts intricate stories that connect past tragedies to present-day realities, examining community resilience and individual responsibility.

Career & Background

Born on April 20, 1978, Makkai earned a Master of Arts in literature from Middlebury College's Bread Loaf School of English in 2004. She initially began her writing career while working as an elementary Montessori teacher before transitioning to full-time writing and teaching at the university level. A 2022 Guggenheim Fellow, she serves as the Artistic Director of StoryStudio Chicago and teaches graduate fiction writing at Middlebury College, Northwestern University, and the Bennington Writing Seminars.

Writing Style & Themes

Makkai's narratives often weave together parallel timelines and complex character networks to explore themes of grief, art, systemic injustice, and moral responsibility. Her works, which have been translated into more than twenty languages, frequently examine how historical moments—such as the 1980s AIDS crisis or past institutional scandals—reverberate through decades of individual lives.

Major Works

• The Great Believers — Published in 2018, this novel dual-tracks the 1980s AIDS epidemic in Chicago and its aftermath in 2015 Paris. It was a finalist for both the Pulitzer Prize and the National Book Award, and won the ALA Andrew Carnegie Medal for Excellence in Fiction and the Los Angeles Times Book Prize.
• I Have Some Questions For You — Released in 2023, this New York Times bestselling novel centers on a film professor and podcaster re-examining a tragic murder from her boarding school past, addressing contemporary issues of memory, justice, and true crime culture.
• The Borrower — Makkai's debut 2011 novel follows a children's librarian who inadvertently aids a young boy in running away from his conservative family, exploring the power of literature and friendship.
• The Hundred-Year House — This novel explores the hidden histories and artistic secrets of an estate over the course of several decades, told in reverse chronological order.
• Music for Wartime — A short story collection highlighting themes of memory, music, family heritage, and survival across various historical and contemporary settings.