Ilija Trojanow was born in Sofia, Bulgaria in 1965. In 1971 he and his family fled to Germany via Yugoslavia and Italy. From 1972 to 1984 the family lived in Kenya. From 1985 to 1989 Trojanow studied law and cultural anthropology at the University of Munich. While in Munich he founded two publishing houses specializing in African literature: Kyrill-und-Method, in 1989, and Marino, in 1992. In 1999 Trojanow moved to Bombay. He has been living in South Africa since 2003.

Photo: © Peter-Andreas Hassiepen

to the book:
The World Collector

Awards:

• 1995 Bertelsmann Literature Prize
• 1996 Marburg Literature Prize
• 1997 Thomas Valentin Literature Prize of the City of Lippstadt
• 2000 Adelbert von Chamisso Prize
• 2006 Leipzig Book Fair Prize for Der Weltensammler
• 2007 ‘Mainzer Stadtschreiber’ Prize for Literature
• 2007 International Tourist Exchange Book Award for Gebrauchsanweisung für Indien