Marjan Kamali

I think Marjan Kamali is such a soulful writer. She was born in Turkey to Iranian parents and spent her childhood moving between several different countries. This global upbringing really seems to influence how she writes about culture and belonging. She eventually moved to the United States where she studied English Literature at UC Berkeley and later got her MBA from Columbia. She is probably best known for her beautiful novel The Stationery Shop which became a huge bestseller. Her work often dives deep into Iranian history and the emotional lives of people caught between different worlds. She currently lives in the Boston area with her family.