Anna Quindlen Wins Over Scarsdale Readers With Wit and Wisdom

Beloved Pulitzer Prize winning columnist and author Anna Quindlen received a warm welcome at Scarsdale Golf Club where she was interviewed by Sarah Lyall, writer at large at the NY Times, on October 21, 2026.

Lyall, who spent 18 years at the London Bureau of the NY Times, introduced Quindlen, saying she “Explores love and the complexities of the human experience,” with sharp insight, wit and a breadth of perspective.” She noted, “Everyone feels like they know Anna from reading her books.”

Discussing her latest novel, “More Than Enough,” Quindlen said, “It starts with women who belong to a particular bookclub…. Female friendship is the bedrock of my life…. The bookclub is a vehicle for friendship – not for reading a book. They all buy the book but they don’t read the book. They talk about their kids, their work, their losses, their gains. It’s the thing that keeps them all going.”

Other subjects addressed in the book are fertility issues, DNA testing, illness, parents and children and mothers. Quindlen said, “We now live at a time when we make a family out of friends.”

Lyall asked, “What prompted you as a journalist to become a novelist?”

Quindlen said, “I always wanted to be a novelist.  I was the editor of my high school newspaper – and worked for the local newspaper and loved it. I wrote the NY Times column, “Life in the Thirties” at the NY Times. “I am from a big Irish family – writing stories was just baked in.”

As for leaving the Times to write novels, she said, “I think most columnists stay way too long at the NY Times. I liked the idea of leaving while you are still on top.”

What’s her next book about? Quindlen shared, “It’s about three adult children – a surgeon, an art history professor and the last one -who are throwing an 80th birthday party for their mother.”

The well attended event was sponsored by the Friends of Scarsdale Library. The Friends are grateful to their lead sponsors New York Presbyterian, Zack and Heather Harrison, and The Laura Miller Team at Houlihan Lawrence. NYP breast surgeon Dr. Lisa Woechmann shared a few words about breast cancer prevention for breast cancer awareness month, which also tied in nicely with a character in the book. Quindlen greeted fans and signed copies of the book following her talk.

Quindlen with the Friends of the Scarsdale Library