Mark Doty

Ann Beattie served as the Kapnick Distinguished Writer in Residence in 2019. One of the most influential American fiction writers of her generation, Beattie is celebrated for her sharp, understated prose and her perceptive portrayals of contemporary American life. Emerging as a defining literary voice of the 1970s through her fiction in The New Yorker, she became widely recognized for capturing the complexities of relationships, family dynamics, and cultural change with wit, precision, and emotional depth.

Beattie is the author of more than twenty books, including the novels Chilly Scenes of Winter, Picturing Will, Another You, and The State We're In, as well as numerous acclaimed collections of short stories. Her many honors include the PEN/Malamud Award for Excellence in the Short Story, the Rea Award for the Short Story, and election to the American Academy of Arts and Letters.

A distinguished teacher and mentor, Beattie has held faculty appointments at Harvard University, the University of Virginia, and other institutions. Her fiction continues to influence writers and readers through its nuanced exploration of intimacy, memory, loss, and the subtle dramas of everyday life.