Gary Shteyngart was born in Leningrad in 1972 and came to the United States seven years later. His debut novel, The Russian Debutante’s Handbook, won the Stephen Crane Award for First Fiction and the National Jewish Book Award for Fiction. Shteyngart’s other novels include: Absurdistan (one of The New York Times Book Review’s 10 Best Books of the Year); Super Sad True Love Story (Bollinger Everyman Wodehouse Prize); and Our Country Friends (New York Times bestseller). His memoir, Little Failure, was a National Book Critics Circle Award finalist. His most recent novel is Vera, or Faith. His books have been published in thirty countries. He lives in New York with his wife and son.

Photo Credit: Brigitte Lacombe