Mary Gordon, Author

From fiction to memoirs to essays, MARY GORDON has been writing for as long as she can remember.

An author and a professor at Barnard College in New York, Gordon has written 17 books. Her 2017 novel, There Your Heart Lies, tells the story of an American woman’s experiences during the Spanish Civil War and its influence on her granddaughter’s life.

Gordon grew up in Far Rockaway, New York in a strict Catholic home. Although her love for books and writing was frowned upon during her adolescence, she pursued her passion during her free time. It wasn’t until she matriculated at Barnard College that Gordon gained self-confidence, discovered her love for older literature, and cultivated an interest in feminism and progressive issues.

In 1978, Gordon published her first novel, Final Payments, to critical acclaim. She continued to write and publish books while her home life grew busier, especially with her marriage to Arthur Cash and the birth of her children, Anna and David.

Gordon returned to her alma mater in 1988 to assume a job as an English professor. Two years later, she accepted the Millicent Macintosh Chair of English and has remained at Barnard ever since.

The videos below are organized by topic and run between 30 seconds and 3 minutes. Click on any video. You must be connected to the Internet to view the videos.

EXPOSURE TO BROAD INFLUENCES: 0:49 sec.

INSIGHT & INSPIRATION:   0:33 sec.

UNDERSTANDS ARTISTS’ NEEDS:  0:25 sec.

COMMUNITY VALUES:  2:10 min.

RESPECTS OTHERS POINT OF VIEW:  1:34 min.

EXPOSURE TO BROAD INFLUENCES:  0:52 sec.

SERENDIPITY: 0:55 min.

SELF-CONFIDENCE: 0:33 sec.

CREATIVE FLEXIBILITY: 0:26 sec.

OVERCOMES CHALLENGES TO SUCCEED:  0:39 sec.

RESPECTS OTHERS POINT OF VIEW:  0:37 sec.