Maaza Mengiste received a 2020 Award in Literature from the American Academy of Arts and Letters. In her book “Addis Ababa Noir,” Mengiste compiles stories by some of Ethiopia's most talented writers, who delve into the myth, truth and contrasting day-to-day realities of a vibrant, complex city. A Fulbright Scholar and a professor at Queens College, Mengiste is the author of “The Shadow King” (Norton) and “Beneath the Lion’s Gaze,” and a 2018 recipient of a National Endowment for the Arts fellowship.