Yiyun Li
Yiyun Li was born on November 4th, 1972 and is currently 53 years old. Yiyun Li was born in Beijing, China. Li attended Peking University where she received a B.S., the University of Iowa where she received an M.S. degree in Immunology and Writers’ Workshop at the University of Iowa where she received an M.F.A.
Yiyun Li has written 5 standalone novels, starting with The Vagrants in 2009. The most recently released novel was The Book of Goose, which was released in 2022. There are no upcoming standalone novels by Yiyun at this time.
Yiyun Li has also written 4 Non-Fiction Books, including The Real Story of Ah-Q and Other Tales of China: The Complete Fiction of Lu Xun and Dear Friend, from My Life I Write to You in Your Life.
Li has been an assistant English professor at the University of California, Davis.
Yiyun Li was the recipient of the MacArthur Fellowship in 2010 for dramatizing the numerous effects of China's massive social change in the late 20th century in a deeply moving but subtly understated way.
Yiyun Li: Awards & Accolades
Yiyun Li won the Whiting Foundation Awards, Whiting Award for Fiction, in 2006.
Yiyun Li books have been nominated for multiple awards, Wednesday's Child was nominated for the Pulitzer Prize, Fiction, in 2024. Things in Nature Merely Grow was nominated for the National Book Awards, Best Nonfiction, in 2025 as well as the Goodreads Awards - Best Memoir and Autobiography in 2025.
Yiyun Li: Lists & Other Mentions
- Where Reasons End was a Time Magazine: 100 Must-Read Books Selection in 2019.
- The Book of Goose was a Time Magazine: 100 Must-Read Books Selection in 2022.
- Things in Nature Merely Grow was a New York Times: 100 Notable Books of 2025 Selection in 2025.
- Kinder Than Solitude was a Literary Hub: Quintessential American Fiction, According to the Rest of the World Selection in 2015.
Related Authors
Fans of Yiyun Li also enjoy these authors:
- Anthony Doerr, author of: All the Light We Cannot See.
- Kazuo Ishiguro, author of: Never Let Me Go.
- Stephen King, author of The Dark Tower Series.
- Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, author of: Americanah.
- Fredrik Backman, author of: A Man Called Ove.
Yiyun Li: F.A.Q
When was Yiyun Li Born? How old is Yiyun Li?
Yiyun Li was born on November 4th, 1972. Yiyun Li is currently 53 years old.
Where was Yiyun Li Born?
Yiyun Li was born in Beijing, China and is Chinese American.
What awards has Yiyun Li won?
Yiyun Li has won the following awards: Whiting Award for Fiction at the Whiting Foundation Awards (2006).
What was the first book Yiyun Li wrote?
The first book written by Yiyun Li was A Thousand Years of Good Prayers, published in 2005.
What was the most recent book Yiyun Li wrote?
Her most recently released work was Things in Nature Merely Grow on May 20th, 2025.
What is the most popular book by Yiyun Li?
Based on the number of readers on Book Notification, the most popular Yiyun Li book is
Where Reasons End. Here are her most popular books:
- Where Reasons End (8)
- Wednesday's Child (7.33)
- Things in Nature Merely Grow (8)
- The Vagrants (10)
- A Sheltered Woman (6)
Are there upcoming new books by Yiyun Li?
Yiyun Li does not have any upcoming books with a set publication date within the next few months at this time.
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How many books has Yiyun Li written?
Yiyun Li has written 15 books excluding contributions to anthologies. 5 Standalone Novels, 2 Short Stories/Novellas, 3 Collections, 4 Non-Fiction Books, 1 book in the Currency Series.