Mary Gabriel (author)

Mary Gabriel is an American author known for her meticulously researched and compellingly written biographies of prominent figures and groups, particularly in the realms of art, politics, and intellectual history. Her works are characterized by their comprehensive detail, nuanced portrayals of complex individuals, and exploration of the social and historical contexts that shaped their lives and contributions.

Gabriel received a degree in history from the University of California, Berkeley, and later worked as a journalist for Reuters for 14 years. This background in journalism is evident in her writing style, which combines scholarly rigor with engaging narrative.

Her most notable works include:

• Love and Capital: Karl and Jenny Marx and the Birth of a Revolution (2011): A biography of Karl Marx and his wife Jenny von Westphalen, focusing on their personal lives, intellectual partnership, and the challenging circumstances surrounding the development of Marx's revolutionary theories. It was a finalist for the National Book Award and the National Book Critics Circle Award.

• Ninth Street Women: Lee Krasner, Elaine de Kooning, Grace Hartigan, Joan Mitchell, and Helen Frankenthaler: Five Painters and the Movement That Changed Modern Art (2018): A group biography of five female abstract expressionist painters working in post-World War II New York City. The book explores their struggles for recognition in a male-dominated art world and their significant contributions to the Abstract Expressionist movement. It was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in Biography.

Gabriel's work is appreciated for shedding light on the lives and experiences of individuals who have often been overlooked or marginalized in historical narratives, especially women. She provides insightful portraits of her subjects, humanizing them while also placing their lives within the broader context of their times.