Gordon Strong

Mary Gordon, born in New York in 1949, is an American writer recognized for her novels, memoirs, and literary criticism. She holds the McIntosh Professor of English position at Barnard College and was named New York State Author in 2008. Gordon's upbringing was deeply influenced by her Irish-Italian Catholic mother and her father, whom she initially remembered as a lover of culture and writing.

However, later in life, Gordon discovered that her father had a Jewish background and had converted to Catholicism before their marriage, even publishing anti-Semitic writings. This revelation profoundly impacted her and became a central theme in her memoir, "The Shadow Man: A Daughter's Search for Her Father." Her work often delves into complex familial relationships, religious identity, and the search for truth, informed by her own experiences and academic background. She has received numerous awards for her literary contributions.

Born in Far Rockaway, New York, Mary Gordon was raised in a Catholic household by her Irish-Italian mother. Her father, who died when she was young, was a significant influence, associated with a love for writing and culture. After her father's death, her mother relocated with Mary to live with her maternal grandmother in Valley Stream, a Catholic neighborhood. Gordon received her education in Catholic institutions, including Holy Name of Mary School and The Mary Louis Academy. Despite her family's wishes for her to attend a Catholic college, Gordon pursued higher education at Barnard College, earning a scholarship and becoming the first in her high school to attend an Ivy League institution. She later completed a Master's degree in English at Syracuse University. A pivotal moment in her life occurred in her forties when she learned her father, originally named Israel and born into a Jewish family in Lithuania, had converted to Catholicism before marrying her mother. He had also published anti-Semitic material after his conversion. This discovery prompted Gordon to explore her father's past, leading to her memoir, "The Shadow Man."

Mary Gordon's literary career began with the publication of her first novel, "Final Payments," in 1978, which became a bestseller and received a literary prize. She has since authored numerous novels, novellas, short story collections, and non-fiction works, including memoirs and essays. Gordon has also been a significant figure in academia, serving as the McIntosh Professor of English at Barnard College. Her teaching is described as deeply passionate, with former students noting her profound emotional response to literature. Beyond her creative writing, Gordon has engaged with religious and social issues, signing a statement on pluralism and abortion within the Catholic Church. Her work frequently explores themes of faith, family, and the complexities of identity, often drawing from her personal experiences and intellectual inquiries.

Gordon's literary output consistently engages with themes of religious faith, particularly Catholicism, and the intricate dynamics of family relationships. Her exploration of identity is often intertwined with her personal journey of reconciling her father's hidden Jewish heritage with her Catholic upbringing, a theme central to her memoir "The Shadow Man." Her novels and short stories frequently feature female protagonists navigating complex moral and spiritual landscapes. Gordon's significant contributions to literature have been widely recognized through numerous awards and honors. These include the Janet Heidinger Kafka Prize for her first two novels, a Guggenheim Fellowship, a Lila Wallace–Reader's Digest Writers' Award, an O. Henry Award, and an Academy Award for Literature from the American Academy of Arts and Letters. In 2007, "The Stories of Mary Gordon" won The Story Prize, and in 2008, she was appointed the Official State Author of New York, receiving the Edith Wharton Citation of Merit for Fiction. She was also inducted into the New York Writers Hall of Fame.