Born in Iran, the author earned an MFA from the University of New Hampshire. He has published short stories in The Kenyon and Massachusetts Review. The novel 1001: Persian Stories of Love and Revenge was a critical success, earning reviews such as this: "It is rare - truly rare - to find the perfect blend of brilliant writing and great story telling. These books are the ones that settle into our souls, the characters become a part of our extended family, their travails and adventures influence us in unspoken ways, and they make us just a little better as people. Marquez, Allende, Khaled Hossein, Harper Lee... to this list I add Yahya Gharagozlou."