Rumaan Alam is an author whose writing explores the beauty and horror of daily existence, as well as complex ideas about fate and privilege.
After his parents moved from Bangladesh in the ‘70s, Rumaan grew up in the suburbs of Washington D.C. He was an obsessive reader and knew he wanted to be a writer by the time he was 10 years old. After studying English and graduating from Oberlin College, he has written three novels: Rich and Pretty, That Kind of Mother, and his latest, the instant New York Times bestseller Leave the World Behind. A finalist for the 2020 National Book Award, Leave the World Behind is also being adapted for film with Julia Roberts and Denzel Washington in lead roles.
Rumaan’s other writing has appeared in The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, New York Magazine, Buzzfeed, and The New Republic, where he is a contributing editor. He also co-hosts two podcasts for Slate.
Rumaan lives in New York with his husband and two children.