Pajtim Statovci, born in Kosovo to Albanian parents, fled the Yugoslav Wars as a child and his family settled in Finland. His debut novel, My Cat Yugoslavia, won the Helsingin Sanomat Literature Prize for best debut and the Internationaler Literaturpreis in 2024. Statovci’s second novel, Crossing, was nominated for the US National Book Award, while his third novel, Bolla (2019), won Finland’s top literary honor, the Finlandia Prize, making him the youngest-ever recipient. Bolla was also named one of the best novels of the year by LA Times in 2021 and was shortlisted for the Kirkus Prize and the Nordic Council Literature Prize. His books are available in many languages, including Norwegian, Swedish, German, Italian, Dutch, and more.
