“My tendencies are much more the Henry James thing, where we sit in silence at the table for three minutes, and our whole lives are changed because of a revelation that never quite happens but almost bubbles to the surface.”

American novelist and professor of literature and creative writing

Claire Messud is an American novelist and professor of literature and creative writing. She is best known for her novel The Emperor's Children, published in 2006. Messud’s work is associated above all with fiction, and her reputation rests largely on The Emperor's Children, which brought wide attention to her writing. As a professor, she also teaches literature and creative writing, connecting her work as an author with an academic career.