Olga Khazan is an American journalist and author known for her work on health, science, and social science topics. She is a staff writer at "The Atlantic" and the author of "" (2020) and "Me, But Better: The Science and Promise of Personality Change" (2025).
Early life and education.
Khazan graduated from American University with a degree in Political Science. She later earned a master's degree in journalism from the University of Southern California's Annenberg School.
Career.
Khazan began her career as a web editor for "Forbes" magazine. She later worked as a freelance writer in Washington, D.C., and as the Moscow correspondent for "The Washington Post".
In 2013, she joined "The Atlantic" as a staff writer, where she covers health, gender, and science. Her work has focused particularly on healthcare policy, psychology, and social science research. She has written extensively about mental health, workplace dynamics, and social inequality.
Books.
In 2020, Khazan published her first book, "Weird: The Power of Being an Outsider in an Insider World" (Hachette Books). The book explores how people who feel different from their peers can leverage their outsider status to succeed. Drawing on psychological research and personal interviews, Khazan examines how feeling like an outsider can become a source of creative and professional strength.
In 2025, Khazan published her second book, "Me, But Better: The Science and Promise of Personality Change" (Simon & Schuster/Simon Element). In this book, Khazan conducts a year-long experiment on herself to explore whether it's possible to change one's personality, examining the science behind personality modification and presenting evidence-based techniques for self-improvement.