Marina Nemat is the author of two memoirs detailing her life experiences in Iran. Born on April 22, 1965, she grew up during tumultuous times in Tehran. After the Islamic Revolution of 1979, she was arrested at the age of sixteen for speaking out against the Iranian government. Her harrowing experiences included spending over two years in Evin Prison, where she faced torture and narrowly escaped execution.

In 1991, Marina fled Iran and resettled in Canada, which she has since called home. Her first memoir, Prisoner of Tehran, was published in April 2007 by Penguin Canada and has gained international acclaim, being published in 28 countries and becoming a bestseller. The memoir has been praised by many, including MacLean’s Magazine, which described it as "one of the finest memoirs ever written by a Canadian."

Nemat's works have been shortlisted for numerous literary awards, including the Young Minds Award in the UK and the Borders Original Voices Award.