studied architecture in Sao Paulo and comparative literature in Paris and now teaches at the University of the Amazon in Manaus. His novel, The Tree of the Seventh Heaven (Atheneum, New York, 1994; translated from the Portuguese by Ellen Watson) was first published in 1989 and was awarded one of the most prestigious prizes in Brazil, the Jabuti prize for the best Brazilian novel. He is also the author of a collection of poetry and texts, Amazonas: um rio entre ruinas (Diadorim, Sao Paulo, 1978), numerous essays and reviews, and his short fiction has appeared in anthologies abroad. Most recently Mr. Hatoum was a visiting lecturer at the University of California, Berkeley, an appointment he will resume upon completing his fellowship at the University of Iowa. His participation in the IWP is supported by the Vitae Foundation of Brazil.