Edwidge Danticat Biography

Edwidge Danticat is a Haitian-American author whose literary works emphasize on the lives of women and their relationships. Her own life experiences have provided background and inspiration for her writing. Her short stories and novels focus on recurring themes such as migration, sexuality, gender and history. Her parents immigrated to New York without her and she was raised by her uncle and aunt. It was during these early years that she was influenced by the Haitian practice of story-telling and developed interest in writing. At the age of twelve, she joined her parents in Brooklyn but felt uncomfortable adjusting to the new city and its culture, only to find peace in literary works. After receiving a BA in French literature from Barnard College, she earned her Master of Fine Arts degree where, as her thesis, she laid the foundation of her first novel ‘Breath, Eyes, Memory’. She went on to achieve unparalleled success as a novelist and short-story writer through her numerous critically acclaimed works. Edwidge Danticat is also a strong supporter of issues affecting Haitians abroad and at home. Drawing on her experiences as a Haitian-American she writes about one of the most under-represented cultures in American literature, using a style which is both poetic and passionate. Her work has been translated into several languages including Korean, Italian, German, Spanish and Swedish. She is now widely considered to be one of the most talented authors in the United States.