Tan Twan Eng: 'The Gift of Rain'
Tan's debut epic novel, nominated for the Man Booker Prize, tells the story of a young man's perilous journey through the betrayals of war and into manhood. Tan was born in Penang and lived in various regions of Malaysia as a child. He studied law at the University of London, and later worked as an advocate and solicitor in one of Kuala Lumpur's most respected law firms.