“Years ago, I worked in a newspaper office, and there were men that would have fits of temper, and it was just accepted that that's who they were, and everyone would laugh about it, but if a woman got upset or angry, something wasn't right: she was 'hysterical' or 'a little unhinged.' It didn't have the same sort of connotation at all.”

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.