Chris Abani is a Nigerian novelist, poet, essayist, screenwriter and playwright. His publications include The Secret History of Las Vegas, Song for Night, The Virgin of Flames and Graceland. He is Professor of English at Northwestern University, and the recipient of many prizes, including the PEN USA Freedom-to-Write Award, the Hurston/Wright Legacy Award, a Lannan Literary Fellowship and the PEN Hemingway Prize. www.chrisabani.com