One of the leading writers and scholars at work today, wa Thiong'o was born in Limuru, Kenya, in 1938. He is
the author of "A Grain of Wheat;" "Weep Not, Child;" and "Petals of Blood," as well as "Birth of a Dream
Weaver" and "Wrestling with the Devil: A Prison Memoir." He has been nominated for, among other honors, the Man Booker
International Prize and currently teaches at University of California, Irvine.