Allegra Goodman was born in Brooklyn New York, but grew up in Honolulu, where her parents moved in 1969. Her father, Lenn Goodman taught philosophy at the University of Hawaii. Her mother, Madeleine Goodman, of blessed memory, taught biology and directed the Women's Studies program. She also served as Vice President for Academic Affairs. After 25 years, her parents left Hawaii for Nashville Tennessee , where her mother became the first woman Dean of Arts and Sciences at Vanderbilt and her father accepted a position in the philosophy department. He still teaches at Vanderbilt.