Emily "Mickey" Hahn was an American journalist and writer, renowned for her extensive contributions to literature with over 50 books and more than 200 articles and short stories. Born on January 14, 1905, in St. Louis, Missouri, she became a pioneering figure in journalism and literature.

Hahn was considered an early feminist and was described as "a forgotten American literary treasure" by The New Yorker magazine. Her work played a significant role in opening up Asia and Africa to the West during the 20th century. Her extensive travels, adventurous spirit, and love for animals significantly influenced her writing.

Educationally, she broke barriers by becoming the first woman to receive a degree in Mining Engineering from the University of Wisconsin–Madison. Her pursuit of knowledge led her to study mineralogy at Columbia and anthropology at Oxford.

Emily's adventurous life took her to various parts of the world. She lived in Florence and London in the mid-1920s and traveled to the Belgian Congo, where she hiked across Central Africa in the 1930s. In 1935, she visited Shanghai intending a short stay but ended up spending nine years in the Far East, teaching English and mingling with prominent figures like The Soong Sisters and Chinese poet Sinmay Zau.