Kamila Shamsie FRSL is a Pakistani and British writer and novelist, known for her award-winning novel Home Fire (2017). Born on August 13, 1973, in Karachi, she has made significant contributions to literature and journalism. Shamsie was named on Granta magazine's list of 20 best young British writers. Her works have been recognized internationally, establishing her as a formidable voice in contemporary literature.

Her educational journey includes a BA in Creative Writing from Hamilton College in Clinton, NY, and an MFA from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. During her time at the University of Massachusetts, she wrote In The City By The Sea, published by Granta Books UK in 1998. This debut novel was shortlisted for the John Llewelyn Rhys Award in the UK, and she received the Prime Minister’s Award for Literature in Pakistan in 1999.

Her subsequent novels include Salt and Saffron, which led to her selection as one of Orange’s “21 Writers of the 21st Century,” and Kartography, which was also shortlisted for the John Llewelyn Rhys Award in the UK. Shamsie contributes to publications like The Guardian, New Statesman, Index on Censorship, and Prospect, and she also broadcasts on radio.