Born in 1951 in Oakland, California, Karen Tei Yamashita is a Japanese-American author. She teaches creative writing and Asian-American literature at the University of California, Santa Cruz. Her magically realistic works include novels like "I Hotel" (2010), "Circle K Cycles" (2001), "Tropic of Orange" (1997), "Brazil-Maru" (1992), and "Through the Arc of the Rain Forest" (1990). "Tropic of Orange" and "Through the Arc of the Rain Forest" are included in our publication program. Her novel "I Hotel" was a finalist for the National Book Award in 2010.