Picture a storyteller whose novels whisk you from Parisian dinner parties to the sweeping shores of California—meet Anne Korkeakivi! This American author, with a knack for weaving family drama and historical echoes into vivid settings, has carved a unique niche in literary fiction. Her globe-trotting life, from New York to Geneva, infuses her stories with a worldly charm that captivates readers.
Born in Manhattan and raised with roots in western Massachusetts, Korkeakivi’s journey as a writer is as dynamic as her novels. With a Classics degree from Bowdoin and an MA from Columbia, she’s a scholar-turned-storyteller whose work reflects both intellect and heart.
The Making of Anne Korkeakivi
Anne Korkeakivi’s early life was steeped in New York’s cultural pulse, balanced by the quiet of Massachusetts. Descended from Willa Cather-style Nebraskans on her mother’s side, she grew up with a love for stories that bridge worlds. Her career began in journalism, penning pieces for the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and TIME, where her sharp eye for detail shone. Living in cities like Helsinki, Paris, and Strasbourg—thanks to her husband’s UN human rights work—shaped her outsider’s perspective, a lens she later brought to fiction. Her shift from nonfiction to novels was bold but deliberate, honed while working at French publisher Flammarion.
Anne Korkeakivi’s Unforgettable Stories
Korkeakivi’s debut novel, An Unexpected Guest (2012), is a taut literary thriller set in post-9/11 Paris. Clare Moorhouse, an Irish-American diplomat’s wife, navigates a high-stakes dinner party while grappling with her past. Critics, including Publishers Weekly, praised its Ishiguro-like elegance. Her second novel, Shining Sea (2016), spans decades, tracing a family’s journey from WWII to modern America. Its research into POW experiences adds haunting depth, earning the Lois Kahn Wallace Writers Award. Her Kindle-exclusive novella, Folding Paper, explores an expatriate’s tangled romance in Paris, showcasing her knack for intimate character studies. Korkeakivi’s style—meticulous settings, layered characters, and themes of war, memory, and identity—makes each work feel like a journey.
Her short fiction and essays, published in The Atlantic, Yale Review, and Best Women’s Travel Writing, Vol. 10, reflect her versatility. Whether writing about Tanzania or universal healthcare, Korkeakivi’s prose is both evocative and precise, turning settings into characters as vital as her protagonists.
Why Anne Korkeakivi Matters
Anne Korkeakivi’s impact lies in her ability to make the personal universal. Her novels tackle big themes—war’s ripple effects, the weight of secrets—through intimate, human stories. Her expatriate life lends her work a rare clarity, offering readers a fresh lens on identity and belonging. Recognized by Yaddo and Hawthornden fellowships, she’s a quiet force in literary fiction, inspiring readers to see the world anew. Her public speaking, from Writers Resist to book festivals, amplifies her voice as a cultural observer.
- Born: New York City
- Key Works: An Unexpected Guest, Shining Sea, Folding Paper
- Awards: Lois Kahn Wallace Writers Award, Yaddo and Hawthornden fellowships
- Fun Fact: She’s lived in eight cities across three continents!
Snag Shining Sea or An Unexpected Guest and dive into Anne Korkeakivi’s rich, globe-spanning tales!