Hemley Boum was born in Douala, Cameroon, and now lives in France. She is the award-winning author of several novels including Si d'aimer? (Prix Ivoire, 2013), Les Maquisards (Grand Prix Littéraire de l'Afrique Noire, 2015; Prix du livre engagé, 2016), and Les Jours viennent et passent (Prix Kourouma, 2020). Her writing explores family histories, political upheavals, colonial legacies, and the intimate consequences of global forces on everyday lives. 

Alison Anderson's translations for Europa Editions include novels by Sélim Nassib, Amélie Nothomb, and Mohamed Mbougar Sarr. She has translated all of Muriel Barbery's books, including the international bestseller The Elegance of the Hedgehog.