Marilynne Robinson

Marilynne Robinson is a Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist and essayist whose works explore faith, family, and power dynamics in the contemporary United States. Robinson has written a number of works, including novels and short stories. She is best known for her award-winning novels Housekeeping (1980) and Gilead (2004).

Robinson was born on November 26, 1943, in Sandpoint, Idaho and grew up in northern Idaho and in Seattle, Washington. She attended Pembroke College at Brown University, where she obtained a bachelor’s degree in English. She then pursued graduate studies at the University of Washington, undertaking both English Literature and Political Science courses.

Robinson’s debut novel, Housekeeping, was published in 1980. It won her international recognition and awards, including a dead-end go-round citation from the American Academy and Institute of Arts and Letters. The novel follows the story of Ruth, a young girl whose nomadic life is disrupted by the arrival of two aunts. Through their conversations, Robinson explores themes of family and identity, as well as the importance of stories and myth in exploring the natural world. Robinson’s nuanced but gentle exploration of faith, home and the American landscape are major aspects of Housekeeping.

Robinson’s second novel, Gilead, also won her widespread acclaim. Published in 2004, it was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction. This work centers around aging Congregationalist pastor John Ames, whose memories of his deceased father and his son provide an insight into his complex relationships with family, faith and God. Gilead is set in contemporary America, but has the feel of a fable. The simple but profound conversations between Ames and his son reveal both the joy and complexity of love. The novel also offers an exploration into the power of stories, myths and religion in the human experience.

Robinson has also written three other novels—Home (2008), Lila (2014) and Jack (2019)—which are all set in Gilead’s fictional town of Gilead, Iowa. She has also published a book of essays, When I Was a Child I Read Books (2012). As well as fiction, she contributes essays to various publications, including The New York Review of Books, The New York Times and Harper's.

Robinson is considered one of the most influential voices of 21st century American fiction. Her works are acclaimed for their thoughtful blend of religion and secularism, and her delicate approach to exploring the complexities of relationships. Her literary contributions are often compared to those of John Updike and Flannery O'Connor, and her works have been the subject of over fifty scholarly studies. Her novels have been translated into over twenty languages, including French, German and Spanish.

Robinson’s legacy is confirmed by the numerous critically-acclaimed literary awards she has been granted. Not only she has won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction, but she also won the National Humanities Medal in 2012 and the Library of Congress Prize in 2019. In 2018, she was awarded the prestigious Newman Prize for American Literature Special Achievement. As Michelle Obama noted during the ceremony, Robinson has dedicated her life’s work to sharing stories of hope and power and grace.

Robinson continues to shape the world of literature, offering thoughtful considerations of the human experience and our relationship with the divine. Her new novel, Jack, is a meditative exploration of history and identity in mid-20th century America and due for release in October 2020.