Wayétu Moore is a renowned author, born in Liberia, who is best known for her historical fiction and magical realism books. Her debut novel, She Would Be King, has received significant critical acclaim and recognition. Moore was born into a family of five siblings and spent her childhood in Monrovia, Liberia. Her parents, Mamawa Moore and her father, are both highly educated professionals who held prominent positions at the University of Liberia. Her mother was a professor and director of the undergraduate honors program, while her father was a dean of the College of Engineering and a professor of engineering.
Moore's life took a dramatic turn when her family was forced to flee Liberia due to the civil war crisis. They spent several weeks in the forest before finding shelter in a rural village. At that time, her mother was studying at Columbia University and was unaware of the family's situation. Despite the challenges she faced during this period, Moore's mother played a significant role in shaping her future, instilling in her a love for learning and education.
Wayétu Moore is not only an accomplished author but also an entrepreneur. She is the founder of One Moore Book, an organization that aims to provide children in underserved communities with access to books and literacy resources that reflect their cultural backgrounds. Moore is a graduate of several prestigious universities, including Howard University, the University of Southern California, and Columbia University. She currently teaches at the City University of New York's John Jay College and resides in Brooklyn.
Moore's literary work has been recognized with numerous awards and accolades. Her debut novel, She Would Be King, was named a best book of 2018 by several publications, including Publishers Weekly, Booklist, Entertainment Weekly, and BuzzFeed. The novel was also a finalist for the Hurston/Wright Award and a Sarah Jessica Parker Book Club selection. In 2019, Moore received the Lannan Literary Fellowship for Fiction. Her second book, The Dragons, The Giant, The Women, was published in 2020.