Fariha Róisín
Australian-Canadian writer (born 1990)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Fariha Róisín (born 10 January 1990) is a Canadian-Australian writer. They released their debut poetry collection How to Cure a Ghost in 2019 and their debut novel Like a Bird in 2020.[3] Their first work of non-fiction, Who is Wellness For: An Examination of Wellness Culture and Who it Leaves Behind, was released in 2023.
Fariha Róisín | |
|---|---|
| Born | 10 January 1990[1] Waterloo, Ontario, Canada[2] |
| Occupations | Writer, poet, cultural critic |
| Writing career | |
| Language | English |
| Years active | 2010–present |
| Genres | Literary fiction, poetry |
| Subjects | Self-care, personal essay, pop culture |
| Notable work | How to Cure a Ghost |
| Website | fariharoisin |
Early life
Róisín was raised by Muslim Bangladeshi immigrant parents in Sydney, Australia.[4][5][6] Their father is a lecturer and their mother is an artist.[7] Róisín's maternal grandfather was Mohammad Abdul Haque, a socialist former Member of Parliament in Bangladesh.[8]
Róisín moved to the United States at age 19 to study law at university, but dropped out to pursue a writing career.[9]
Career
Róisín has been a freelance writer since 2010 and has written for publications including IndieWire,[10] HuffPost,[11] Filmmaker,[12] The New York Times,[13] and Bon Appetit.[14] They began their writing career in 2010 via an internship at the fashion blog StyleLikeU, and then participated in a program at the Critics Academy (run by IndieWire) to learn how to be a film critic.[15] Many of their written pieces are film criticism, cultural criticism, or first-person personal essays. They frequently write about self-care, mental illness, spirituality, and socio-political issues.[5][16][17] From 2012 to 2017 they co-hosted the pop culture analysis podcast Two Brown Girls with Zeba Blay.[18][19] Róisín appeared in Jidenna's 2019 music video for the song "Sufi Woman".[13][20][5]
Róisín debut poetry collection How to Cure a Ghost was published in 2019 by Abrams Image. They describe the collection as relating to "traumas [they've] experienced as a queer Muslim woman,"[21] and it explores topics including Islamophobia, sexual assault, and white supremacy. The collection was written over five years.[20]
Róisín's first novel Like A Bird was published in 2020 by Unnamed Press.[22][17]
Personal life
Róisín is Muslim and queer.[23] They have previously lived in Montreal and New York City,[4] and currently reside in Los Angeles.[5] They are a survivor of child sexual abuse.[24] During adolescence they engaged in self-harm and experienced suicidal ideation, and attempted suicide at age 25.[16][17]
Works
- How to Cure a Ghost. Abrams Image. 2019. ISBN 978-1419737565
- Like a Bird. Unnamed Press. 2020. ISBN 9781951213091
- Who Is Wellness For?: An Examination of Wellness Culture and Who It Leaves Behind. HarperWave. 2022. ISBN 9780063077089
- Survival Takes a Wild Imagination. Andrews McMeel Publishing. 2023. ISBN 978-1-5248-7822-1