Facts of Life

Maureen Howard (1930–2022) was an acclaimed American novelist, memoirist, and editor known for her experimental fiction featuring women protagonists and exploring the Irish-American experience, family dynamics, class, and Catholicism. Notable works include the novels Bridgeport Bus, Natural History, and Before My Time, and her memoir Facts of Life, which won the National Book Critics Circle Award in 1978; she received three PEN/Faulkner Award nominations and fellowships from Guggenheim and NEA. Her innovative style employed nonlinear narration, shifting perspectives, and lyrical prose to capture "landscapes of memory." NYT Obituary, National Book Critics Circle