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Larissa MacFarquhar

b. 1968

American writer

Writer Journalist
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About Larissa MacFarquhar

Born 1968. Larissa MacFarquhar is an American writer and journalist.

Larissa MacFarquhar (born 1968) is an American writer known for her profiles in The New Yorker.

She is the daughter of the sinologist Roderick MacFarquhar. She was born in London, and moved to the United States at the age of 16.

MacFarquhar has been a staff writer at The New Yorker since 1998 and has written profiles on Barack Obama, Derek Parfit, Hilary Mantel, Robert Gottlieb, Richard Posner, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Chelsea Manning and Aaron Swartz, among others. Her 2015 book Strangers Drowning: Impossible Idealism, Drastic Choices, and the Urge to Help explores the motivations of people who take altruism to extremes. She is married to the writer Philip Gourevitch.

Selected bibliography

Books

Essays and reporting

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Important facts

Born
1968, London
Birth century
20th century
Occupation
Writer, journalist
Nationality
United States
Education
Harvard University
Employers
The New Yorker

Family & relationships

Spouse
Philip Gourevitch

People in Larissa MacFarquhar's life

Named in this biography and alive at the same time

Portrait of Barack Obama
Barack Obama
b. 1961
Politician
 Portrait of Richard Posner
Richard Posner
b. 1939
Judge
 Portrait of Chelsea Manning
Chelsea Manning
b. 1987
Army soldier
 Portrait of Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
b. 1977
Cook
 Portrait of Derek Parfit
Derek Parfit
1942 – 2017
Philosopher
 Portrait of Robert Gottlieb
Robert Gottlieb
1931 – 2023
Journalist
 Portrait of Roderick MacFarquhar
Roderick MacFarquhar
1930 – 2019
Politician
 Portrait of Aaron Swartz
Aaron Swartz
1986 – 2013
Programmer

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped Larissa MacFarquhar's

Portrait of Jacques Rivette
Jacques Rivette
1928 – 2016
Film director
 Portrait of Jacques-Louis Lions
Jacques-Louis Lions
1928 – 2001
Mathematician
 Portrait of Jürgen Moser
Jürgen Moser
1928 – 1999
Mathematician
 Portrait of Peter Naur
Peter Naur
1928 – 2016
Astronomer
 Portrait of Ray Hyman
Ray Hyman
b. 1928
University teacher
 Portrait of Yoshihide Kozai
Yoshihide Kozai
1928 – 2018
Astronomer

Frequently asked questions

Who is Larissa MacFarquhar?

American writer

When was Larissa MacFarquhar born?

Larissa MacFarquhar was born in 1968 in London.

What is Larissa MacFarquhar's occupation?

Larissa MacFarquhar is a writer and journalist.

What nationality is Larissa MacFarquhar?

Larissa MacFarquhar is American.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: Larissa MacFarquhar

· Wikidata: Q54766027

· DBpedia: Larissa MacFarquhar

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Larissa MacFarquhar. https://biography.guide/larissa-macfarquhar/

MLA: "Larissa MacFarquhar." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/larissa-macfarquhar/.

Chicago: "Larissa MacFarquhar." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/larissa-macfarquhar/.

Data last updated: 2026-09-20 · Spot an error? Report a correction.

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