· Abani is a very popular speaker and presenter active on the reading circuit · Abani’s most recent novel, GraceLand (Picador), won several awards, was reviewed in scores of metro dailies, and was named a “Best Book of the Year” in San Francisco Chronicle and listed as a “Notable Book” in New York Times · Abani was a Barnes and Noble Discover Series Selection · Central section of Hands Washing Water is very imaginative Civil War correspondence (with a zinger for an ending)