Jean Kwok author biography, plus links to books by Jean Kwok.

Jean Kwok

Jean Kwok is the New York Times and internationally bestselling author of The Leftover Woman, Searching for Sylvie Lee, Girl in Translation, and Mambo in Chinatown. Her books have been chosen by Read with Jenna, a Good Morning America Buzz pick, CBS New York, Book of the Month, LibraryReads, Indie Next, Goodreads Choice Awards, Belletrist, and Discover Great New Writers, and most of her work is in development for film and television. She has been selected for numerous honors, including the American Library Services Association Alex Award, the Chinese American Librarians Association Best Book Award, and the Sunday Times EFG Short Story Award international shortlist. She received her bachelor's degree from Harvard University and earned an MFA from Columbia University. She reviews for The New York Times Book Review and has served as judge for International Thriller Writers, Tucson Festival of Books, Ragdale, and San Miguel Writers Conference, and her work has been published in twenty countries and is taught in schools across the world. She lives in the New York area.

This biography was last updated on 07/14/2026.

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