Chang-Rae Lee is an acclaimed American author known for his insightful exploration of identity, culture, and the immigrant experience. Born in 1965 in Seoul, South Korea, he moved to the United States at a young age. Lee has published several novels, including Native Speaker, which won the Hemingway Foundation/PEN Award in 1995, and The Surrendered, a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in 2011. In addition to his writing, Lee is a professor at Princeton University, where he teaches creative writing. His works often reflect his own experiences as an Asian American, delving into themes of belonging and the complexities of modern life. Lee's contributions to literature have earned him a prominent place in contemporary American fiction.