“The beginning and the end are never really the journey of discovery for me. It is the middle that remains a puzzle until well into the writing. That's how life is most of the time, isn't it? You know where you are and where you hope to wind up. It's the getting there that's challenging.”

American author, journalist, and opinion columnist

Anna Marie Quindlen is an American author, journalist, and opinion columnist. She became known for her writing in newspapers and books, and for a voice that moves between public commentary and personal reflection. Her work spans journalism, fiction, and essays, which has made her a familiar name to readers of opinion writing. She is known for clear, direct prose and for observations that often touch on family, work, women’s lives, and the everyday pressures of modern life.