Maureen Corrigan
Maureen Corrigan has been NPR’s resident book critic for more than twenty years.
Maureen Corrigan is the author of the memoir Leave me Alone I’m Reading, chronicling her journey as a passionate reader, and of the fresh exploration of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s classic, So We Read On: How the Great Gatsby Came to Be and Why It Endures
In addition to publishing weekly reviews on NPR, Corrigan is the Nicky and Jamie Grant Distinguished Professor of the Practice in Literary Criticism at Georgetown University, where she is an expert in the work of F. Scott Fitzgerald, the literature of New York City, American detective fiction, American Women's Autobiography, the work of American Public Intellectuals in the 20th Century, and 19th century British poetry and prose.
Corrigan is currently working on a book about book banning in America to be published by Knopf in 2028, expanding on her acclaimed lecture series on banned and challenged books entitled, "Banned Books, Burned Books: Forbidden Literary Works" from Great Courses.
Maureen Corrigan is a seasoned voice on the importance of literacy and criticism in an age where it faces ongoing challenges. She is available for keynote lectures or onstage conversations to pull back the curtain on her practice as a book critic, her expertise on 20th century fiction, the history behind book censorship, and show us what we may have missed about The Great Gatsby.
“I would love to keep reiterating just how much we loved having Maureen here. Her talk was the perfect kickoff for our community read, and she is such a lovely and engaging speaker. Several people said to me after the program: “We’ll come back to hear her talk about anything – whatever she wants to talk about!” We are all very jealous of her Georgetown students…”
—Community Library, Ketchum ID
Azura Says
“Maureen expands my vocabulary for what makes a book ‘good’. She is a testament to making a life out of literature. She can make anyone fall in love with reading again.”
Expertise
- Insight into her process as a book critic
- Lessons from The Great Gatsby and 20th century American literature and mystery fiction
- Exposes the history and logic of book bans and the importance of literacy
Video Highlight
“Books can be silenced. They can be disappeared. They can vanish from our memory. Our inheritance is fragile.” —Maureen Corrigan, Chautauqua Lecture Series