Claire Messud Claire Messud is an award-winning author of seven novels, including “The Emperor's Children,” which became a New York Times best-seller and was longlisted for the 2006 Man Booker Prize. She has taught writing courses at Harvard University, Yale University, Amherst College, Kenyon College, the University of Maryland, and other schools. She frequently contributes to publications like The Wall Street Journal, Harper's Magazine, and The Guardian, in addition to Travel + Leisure. Born in Greenwich, Connecticut, Claire grew up in the United States, Australia, and Canada. She currently lives near Boston, in Somerville, Massachusetts, with her daughter, son, and husband.• Won a Strauss Living Award and Addison Metcalf Award from The American Academy of Arts and Letters• Awarded Guggenheim and Radcliffe Fellowships• Named on the 2003 Granta Best of Young British Novelists list, though she does not hold a British passport About Travel + Leisure Travel + Leisure, a Dotdash Meredith Brand, is a top travel media brand with a mission to inform and inspire passionate travelers. Our expert team includes a network of hundreds of writers and photographers across the globe, all providing a local eye on the best places to stay, eat, and explore. We reach an audience that takes 76 million round trips annually, offering valuable travel tips, ideas and inspiration, and products you need to get you to your destination — whether it’s a small town or big city, beach or lake, national park or theme park, road trip, cruise, or long-haul flight, and everything in between. Learn more about us and our editorial process