Emily St. John Mandel is a Canadian author known for blending speculative elements with literary fiction. She has written six novels. Her most recent, Sea of Tranquility (2022), has been translated into twenty-five languages and was selected by former U.S. President Barack Obama as one of his favourite books of the year.
Her previous novel, The Glass Hotel (2020), was also featured on Obama’s list, was shortlisted for the Scotiabank Giller Prize, and has been translated into twenty-six languages.
Mandel’s breakthrough came with Station Eleven (2014), which was a finalist for the National Book Award and the PEN/Faulkner Award. It won the 2015 Arthur C. Clarke Award and has been translated into thirty-six languages. HBO adapted the novel into a limited series. Themes and minor characters recur across her work, often linking books in subtle ways.
Emily St. John Mandel was born and raised on Denman Island off the coast of British Columbia and was homeschooled until the age of fifteen. She later studied contemporary dance at the School of Toronto Dance Theatre before relocating to the United States.
Before writing full-time, she worked various jobs while publishing her early novels, including Last Night in Montreal (2009), The Singer’s Gun (2010), and The Lola Quartet (2012). She has said that Station Eleven was her final attempt at a writing career before considering leaving the profession.
Mandel continued working in administrative roles, including a position at Rockefeller University, for several years after the success of Station Eleven. She has described the decision to leave salaried work as difficult, citing a working-class upbringing and lack of a financial safety net. Mandel eventually transitioned to writing full-time after the birth of her daughter.
Emily St. John Mandel currently divides her time between New York City and Los Angeles.
Photo credit: www.emilymandel.com
