R. F. Kuang (Rebecca F. Kuang) is a #1 New York Times bestselling Chinese-American author who studied history and international economics at Georgetown University, earned master’s degrees in Chinese Studies from Cambridge and Oxford, and is pursuing a PhD in East Asian Languages and Literatures at Yale before channeling her extraordinary academic background—ranging from her childhood as an immigrant from Guangzhou to her time as a champion collegiate debate coach—into writing fiercely intellectual, genre-defying novels that captivate global audiences with themes of colonialism, structural racism, and academic ambition. Her professional career launched spectacularly before she turned 22 with her debut military fantasy The Poppy War, which she began drafting during a gap year at age 19, cementing her reputation as one of the most versatile and influential young voices in contemporary literature.