Adam Gopnik

Adam Gopnik

Adam Gopnik was born on August 24th, 1956 and is currently 69 years old. Adam Gopnik was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA. Gopnik attended Dawson College where he received a Bachelor of Arts, McGill University where he received a Graduate Work and.

Adam Gopnik is a journalist who has worked at the New Yorker since the mid-1980s. Over this time, he developed a reputation for wide curiosity, clear thinking, and commitment to public writing.

When he first started at the New Yorker, he worked in the art section as an art critic. He would then move to Paris, where he was the producer of Paris Journal, which was very popular at the time.

Known for his versatility, Adam Gopnik has written criticisms, memoirs, essays, and stories for both children and adults. He writes on everyday elements such as art, family, food, and cities, which he combines with larger moral and social questions.

Besides his work as an author, Adam has written introductions to the classic works of renowned French novelists and edited popular anthologies, bringing older literature to the attention of younger readers.

Gopnik has also spoken on stage and given readings across North America. In addition to presenting lectures at cultural institutions, museums, and libraries, he hosted a New York City documentary for the BBC, demonstrating his comfort with both broadcast and print storytelling.

In recent years, Adam Gopnik has entered the music world, writing librettos and lyrics for classical works and musicals, collaborating with renowned performers and composers.

For his work, he received a range of honours, including the Order of Letters and Arts, the George Polk Award, and the National Magazine Award.

Showcasing his versatility, Adam Gopnik published a fantasy adventure novel titled The King in the Window in 2005.

The work tells the story of an American boy named Oliver who lives in Paris. After celebrating a festival one night, he puts a paper crown on his head and gazes at his window to see a boy in ancient clothes looking at him instead of his reflection.

The mysterious figure in his window is a mythical window wraith who believes Oliver is a King who will lead them in battle. The wraiths are said to be trapped spirits whose souls were taken by the Master of Mirrors, who takes the essence of people who stare too long into mirrors.

Oliver soon finds himself in a world full of ghosts, strange dimensions, magic, and battles, as he tries to stop the Mirror Master and help the wraiths escape.

In his second fiction work, The Steps Across the Water, Adam Gopnik tells the story of Rose from New York City who has always felt different. She had come to New York following her adoption as a child and never felt a true sense of belonging.

One day, she sees a crystal staircase rising from the lake in Central Park as two strange figures climb it and then disappear. It is not long before she learns of a city named U Nork in another dimension beside New York that is far more magical, taller, and brighter than it is in danger.

Only Rose can save U Nork.

In Paris to the Moon, Gopnik published a collection of essays reminiscing about his life living as an expat in Paris alongside his son and young wife.

He writes about everyday moments such as visiting cafes, walking in parks, learning about French living, and the many changes he had to deal with as a family man in a very different culture.


Adam also throws in pieces about raising children, art, work, and food.

Adam Gopnik: Lists & Other Mentions

• The Moth was an Ex Libris: 100 Books to Read and Reread Selection in 2020.

Related Authors

Fans of Adam Gopnik also enjoy these authors:

1. Bill Bryson, author of the Bill Bryson Travel Books.
2. Jane Austen, author of: Pride and Prejudice.
3. Stephen King, author of The Dark Tower Series.
4. Agatha Christie, author of: And Then There Were None / Ten Little Indians.
5. Jacqueline Winspear, author of the Maisie Dobbs Series.

Adam Gopnik: F.A.Q