Leila Aboulela

Leila Aboulela, a writer of Sudanese origin based in Aberdeen, grew up in Khartoum and moved to Scotland in 1990, where her career began. She is best known for the novels Minaret and The Translator, both of which follow Muslim women in the UK and were longlisted for the Orange Prize. Minaret opens during Sudan's civil war, when a woman raised in comfort is forced to flee her home. In 2025 she won the PEN Pinter Prize.