Ludmila Ulitskaya was born in 1943 in the Urals. After graduating from Moscow University with a Degree of Master in Biology, she worked in the Institute of Genetics as a scientist. She later became Repertory Director of the Hebrew Theatre of Moscow.
Ulitskaya is the author of 14 books of fiction, three tales for children, and six plays staged by a number of theaters in Russia and Germany. Her awards include the Oleg Tabakov Prize, the Budapest Grand Prix, and the Russian Booker Prize, among others.
Her most recent book translated into English is Daniel Stein, Interpreter.