Elizabeth Strout is an American novelist born in Portland, Maine, on January 6, 1956. She graduated from Bates College and earned a Master of Laws degree from Syracuse University. Her work often explores the inner lives of complex characters in small New England towns, focusing on themes such as loneliness, love, and human connection. She is known for her observational style and deep characterization. She won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 2009 for her novel "Olive Kitteridge," and was a finalist for the Booker Prize in 2016 for "My Name Is Lucy Barton." Her works also include "Amy and Isabelle," "The Burgess Boys," and "Oh William!". She has been translated into numerous languages.