Monica Ali is a highly acclaimed British author, born in Dhaka, East Pakistan (now Bangladesh) on October 20, 1967. She was raised in Bolton, England, after her family moved there when she was three years old. Her father is originally from the district of Mymensingh in Bangladesh. Ali received her education at Bolton School and later studied Philosophy, Politics, and Economics at Wadham College, Oxford.
Ali gained significant recognition for her debut novel, Brick Lane, which was shortlisted for the Man Booker Prize for Fiction in 2003. Her literary talent was evident even before the book's publication, as she was voted one of Granta's Best of Young British Novelists based on the unpublished manuscript of Brick Lane. The novel's success led to its adaptation into a feature film by Film Four, showcasing Ali's ability to captivate audiences through both written and visual storytelling.
In addition to Brick Lane, Ali has written four other novels: Alentejo Blue, In the Kitchen, Untold Story, and Love Marriage. Her work has been translated into 26 languages, demonstrating her international appeal and the widespread appreciation for her storytelling. She has been nominated for several prestigious awards, including the Booker Prize, the George Orwell Prize, the Commonwealth Writers' Prize, the National Book Critics Circle Award, and the Los Angeles Times Book Prize. Ali is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature and has taught creative writing at Columbia University, New York, and the University of Surrey.
Beyond her writing career, Ali is an advocate for free expression and has contributed to the collection of essays published by Penguin in 2005, titled Free Expression Is No Offence. She is also a Patron of Hopscotch Women’s Centre, a charity that supports ethnic minority families and empowers women and girls to reach their full potential. Ali is married to Simon Torrance, a management consultant, and they have two children, Felix and Shumi. She resides in South London and is currently adapting her fifth novel, Love Marriage, for television.