Nonfiction by Gail Godwin
The Art of Becoming a Citizen
A Memoir
Published 2026
From the three-time National Book Award nominee and New York Times bestselling author Gail Godwin comes an incandescent reflection on past and present that speaks urgently to our current political moment.
"He just had the presidency stolen from him."
Gail Godwin first heard these words in November 1960, one of a crush of reporters eagerly awaiting the first postelection meeting between Kennedy and Nixon. Hearing an uncanny echo in the aftermath of the 2020 presidential election, Godwin embarks on a project to reflect on that long-ago moment and offset a mounting pressure of dread about the looming election ahead.
In looking back at her life as a young woman—her travels abroad, early marriage, friendships with Kurt Vonnegut and John Irving-juxtaposed with the lead-up to the recent election, she discovers an understory that surprises her. She asks herself, "What, at this late date, did I still want to become?" With urgency and a yearning so many now feel, Godwin's blend of history and memoir is both inspirational and rousing, encouraging readers to engage in their own reflection on the art and meaning of being a citizen.
Reviews
“Gail and I were beginning writers and Kurt Vonnegut's students when we first met. In this insightful memoir, the past and present are as purposely interwoven as the plot of a good novel. A most relevant political history is entwined with Trump's 2024 re-election and the debacle he's made of our beloved democracy. This book is about being a vigilant citizen.” —John Irving
“Godwin's wide-lens perspective, and her discussion of coping with uncertainty by meditating on psalms and supporting the distribution of banned books, offers a road map for readers horrified by the state of the world. It's a balm.” —Publishers Weekly
“Written with the usual clarity and honesty of this exemplary writer.” —Library Journal
“Even at this late stage in her life, Gail Godwin remains curious about what she can become, about her own agency and capacity for hope, and she shows us what it means to be fully engaged with life.” —California Review of Books
Bloomsbury | Hardcover| 224 pages