Jessica Hagedorn

Jessica Hagedorn was born and raised in the Philippines and came to the United States in her early teens. Her novels include Toxicology, Dream Jungle, The Gangster of Love, and Dogeaters, winner of the American Book Award and finalist for the National Book Award. Hagedorn is also the author of Danger and Beauty, a collection of poetry and prose, and the editor of three anthologies: Manila Noir, Charlie Chan is Dead: An Anthology of Contemporary Asian American Fiction and Charlie Chan is Dead 2: At Home in the World. Her theatrical work includes adaptations of Dogeaters and The Gangster of Love. Hagedorn is the recipient of literary honors and awards including The Rome Prize for Literature, a Guggenheim Fiction Fellowship, a Philippine National Book Award, an American Book Award and a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Before Columbus Foundation.