[2] Her paternal grandfather, János Makkai [hu], was a journalist and politician and, as a member of the Hungarian Parliament, was principal parliamentary author of Hungary's Second Jewish Law of 1939, before revising his views and being imprisoned by the Gestapo.

[6][7] It was a Booklist Top Ten Debut, an Indie Next pick, an O, The Oprah Magazine selection,[8] and one of Chicago's choices for best fiction of 2011.

Makkai's third novel, The Great Believers, is set during the AIDS epidemic in 1980s Chicago and was published by Viking/Penguin Random House in June 2018.

[18] Makkai's fourth novel, I Have Some Questions for You, was published by Viking in February 2023, and it debuted at number three on the New York Times Bestseller List.

Makkai's debut short story collection, Music for Wartime, was published by Viking in June 2015.

Makkai's stories have also been featured on Public Radio International's Selected Shorts and This American Life.

[23] Makkai has taught at the Iowa Writers' Workshop and is on the MFA faculties of Bennington College and Northwestern University.