Tiger of the Week: Jodi Picoult ’87

Life is good for Jodi Picoult ’87. Last week, Handle With Care , the author's 16th novel, debuted in the No. 1 spot of the New York Times Best Sellers List for fiction. It is the latest in a string of successful books about families and relationships. Picoult routinely writes about gut-wrenching family situations -- in Handle With Care , parents grapple with medical ethics and personal morality after the birth of a severely disabled child -- but the author says her life at home has been free of such drama. "I had an incredibly happy childhood," Picoult told USA Today earlier this month. "I married a terrific guy [fellow Princetonian Tim van Leer ’86] when I was 23. I have great, well-adjusted kids." On top of that, Picoult is our Tiger of the Week. What could be better? Read two Jodi Picoult ’87 essays from PAW's archives: Against the current , Picoult's recollection of her experiences as the first woman coxswain for a men's heavyweight crew at Princeton (July 3, 2002) Writing a challenging read : Why I write banned books (June 8, 2005) (Photo courtesy JodiPicoult.com) Do you have a nominee for Tiger of the Week? Let us know. All alumni qualify. PAW's Tiger of the Week is selected by our staff, with help from readers like you.