Meredith Maran published her first poem in Highlights For Kids at age 6, her first national magazine article at age 15, and her first book at age 18. In the intervening 54 years, she has published a dozen nonfiction books, an acclaimed novel, and myriad articles, op-eds, essays, and book reviews for The New York Times, The Washington Post, The LA Times, O Magazine, The Los Angeles Review of Books, and many other outlets. A keynote speaker at venues including the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, the Charles Schwab Foundation, Stanford University, and UC Berkeley, Meredith has been Writer in Residence at UCLA and at artists’ colonies including MacDowell and Yaddo. A member of the National Book Critics Circle and an active member of the Los Angeles and Palm Springs queer, women’s, sober, writers’, and activist communities, Meredith is a passionate proponent of independent presses, bookstores, and thought.
Appearances:
On Video:
Meredith on “Why Memoir?” on The Memoir Channel, March 5, 2024
Interviewing bestselling author Joan Silber for the Los Angeles Public Library Foundation, 6/8/21
My Lie: A True Story of False Memory from John Wiley & Sons on Vimeo.
In Person:
Meredith speaks at William & Mary College about Women’s Lives After 60, September 17, 2022
Here’s Meredith at a gathering of Los Angeles writers, April 14, 2022
Meredith performing “Can You See Me Now?” at the Bootleg Theater, Los Angeles, 7/25/19
Meredith in conversation with James Frey and Kathryn Harrison, Center For Fiction, New York City, 2/22/13
Meredith in conversation with Alex Strauss, Center For Fiction, New York City, 2/16/12
As keynote speaker:
“Thank you for teaching the workshop on “Writing the Hard Stuff.” The MFA students found the workshop very challenging and even more rewarding.”
-Kate Daniels, Associate Professor, MFA program, Vanderbilt University
“You were asked to participate in our Leadership Workshop Series pane on Education Reform because of your expertise and reputation as a thought-leader in education. We have received a great deal of positive feedback on the quality of the panel and the caliber of the panelists from the students, community leaders, alumni, and staff. By all accounts, it was a success.”
-NaSun Cho, Program Coordinator, Stanford Graduate School of Business
“The feedback I’ve gotten was that it was refreshing and enlightening to finally hear someone “keep it real.” We could not have asked for more from you and I appreciate the passion and sincerity you brought to each of the readings.”
-Jeff Kass, Poet in Residence, Ann Arbor (MI) School District
“Everyone at the Library feels very honored to have had a writer of your stature present at our first Annual Author’s Dinner. We all send great affection, thanks and sincere gratitude for your help.”
-Linda Schact Gage, Director, Berkeley Public Library Foundation
“Your book, Dirty, has been a poignant missive for those of us at the Foundation who work on the issue of youth substance abuse. I was very pleased by the event. Thanks for your participation.”
-Ed Carlson, Substance Abuse Program Officer, Charles and Helen Schwab Foundation
“A special thank you for your inspired and heartfelt presentation at our meeting in San Francisco. Everyone was moved and even more determined as a result of your insights and ideas.”
-Laura Nissen, Director, Reclaiming Futures/Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
On Podcasts:
The Memory Hole Podcast: Meredith on “Forgetting to Remember”, September 24, 2023
Inner Rebel Podcast: Meredith “Unleashes the Revolutionary Spirit”, April 27, 2023
Thanks, Mama Podcast: Ana Tajder interviews Meredith, Feb. 1, 2022