Charlie Foran was born and raised in Toronto. He holds degrees from the University of Toronto and the University College, Dublin, and has taught in China, Hong Kong and Canada. He has published 12 books, including five novels. His fiction, non-fiction and journalism have all won awards. Charlie has also made radio documentaries for the CBC program Ideas and co-wrote the TV documentary Mordecai Richler: The Last of the Wild Jews. A past president of PEN Canada, he is a senior fellow at Massey College, University of Toronto and a member of the Order of Canada. He is the current Executive Director of Writers Trust of Canada.