Edna O'Brien is an Irish novelist, playwright, poet, and short story writer. She is best known for her frank and often controversial depictions of the lives of women in rural Ireland. O'Brien's works have been translated into over 20 languages and have been adapted for stage and screen. She has received numerous awards, including the Irish PEN Lifetime Achievement Award, the American National Arts Gold Medal, and the Frank O'Connor International Short Story Award. O'Brien has been a member of the Irish Academy of Letters since 1983 and was awarded the Freedom of the City of Dublin in 2018. She continues to write and publish to this day, inspiring readers with her unique and powerful voice.