Picture a storyteller who weaves haunting tales of women’s lives, blending history with a touch of the surreal—meet Clare Beams! This American author has captivated readers with her sharp prose and gothic sensibilities, crafting stories that linger like a foggy New England morning. From her award-winning debut to her chilling novels, Beams is a voice redefining feminist historical fiction.
Born in the early 1980s in Connecticut, Beams grew up with a love for words that would shape her into a literary star. Her works, including the celebrated short story collection We Show What We Have Learned and novels like The Illness Lesson and The Garden, explore transformation, bodily autonomy, and the eerie edges of human experience. Let’s dive into her world!
The Making of Clare Beams
Clare Beams’s journey to literary acclaim began in Connecticut, where her early love for books sparked a lifelong passion for storytelling. After earning an MFA from Columbia University in 2006, she spent nine years teaching high school English in Massachusetts, honing her craft in the quiet moments between grading papers. Later, she moved to Pittsburgh with her husband and two daughters, teaching fiction at the Pittsburgh Center for the Arts and, as of 2024, in the Randolph College MFA program. A 2014 National Endowment for the Arts fellowship gave her the space to focus on writing, setting the stage for her breakout success.
Clare Beams’s Unforgettable Stories
Beams’s debut, We Show What We Have Learned (2016), is a short story collection that blends the literary with the fantastic. Stories like “Hourglass” and “The Saltwater Cure” explore women’s roles and transformation, earning praise as a Kirkus Best Debut and nominations for the PEN/Robert W. Bingham Prize and Shirley Jackson Award. Critics lauded its “richly imagined” prose and eerie atmospheres, comparing Beams to Shirley Jackson.
Her first novel, The Illness Lesson (2020), dives into 1870s New England, where a progressive school for girls unravels amid mysterious illnesses. Inspired by historical treatments, it’s a feminist thriller that tackles paternalism and bodily autonomy with “astoundingly original” flair, as the New York Times noted. The Garden (2024), her second novel, explores the 1940s and the devastating effects of diethylstilbestrol, a drug misused in pregnancy care. Beams’s gothic style—lush, unsettling, and precise—shines, weaving historical truths with surreal elements.
Beams’s writing is marked by needle-sharp prose and a knack for blending realism with the uncanny. Her stories often center women’s experiences, from miscarriage to societal constraints, making her a vital voice in contemporary fiction. Influenced by authors like Kelly Link and Helen Oyeyemi, she embraces the strange to illuminate timeless truths.
Why Clare Beams Matters
Clare Beams’s work resonates because it speaks to the complexities of women’s lives, past and present. Her ability to intertwine historical settings with modern questions of autonomy and identity has earned her a place alongside feminist literary giants like Margaret Atwood. By tackling overlooked histories—like misguided medical treatments—she invites readers to reflect on today’s world. Her awards, including the Bard Fiction Prize, and fellowships from Bread Loaf and MacDowell, underscore her growing influence.
Beams’s stories don’t just entertain; they challenge and haunt, offering a lens on the resilience and rage of women. As a teacher and mother, she balances art and life, inspiring aspiring writers through her mentorship in Pittsburgh and beyond.
- Born: 1981 or 1982 in Connecticut
- Key Works: We Show What We Have Learned (2016), The Illness Lesson (2020), The Garden (2024)
- Awards: Bard Fiction Prize, NEA Fellowship, Kirkus Best Debut (2016)
- Currently: Teaches at Randolph College MFA program, lives in Pittsburgh
About Clare Beams
Snag The Garden or We Show What We Have Learned and dive into Clare Beams’s haunting, feminist world! Her stories will leave you spellbound and thinking long after the last page.