shirleygeok

Shirley
Geok-Lin Lim

Years: 2004

Shirley Geok-Lin Lim was born in Malacca, Malaysia, in 1944 and has lived in the United States of America since 1969. She completed her Ph.D. in British and American Literature in Brandeis University in 1973. Her first collection of poems, Crossing the Peninsula (1980), received the Commonwealth Poetry Prize. She has also published four volumes of poetry: No Man’s Grove (1985); Modern Secrets (1989); Monsoon History (1994), which is a retrospective selection of her work; and What the Fortune Teller Didn’t Say (1998). She is also the author of three books of short stories and a memoir, Among the White Moon Faces (1996), which received the 1997 American Book Award for non-fiction. Her first novel, Joss and Gold, was published in 2001. Her co-edited anthology, The Forbidden Stitch: An Asian American Woman’s Anthology received the 1990 American Book Award. She has published two critical studies, Nationalism and Literature: Writing in English from the Philippines and Singapore (1993) and Writing South East Asia in English: Against the Grain (1994) and has edited / co-edited many volumes and two special issues of journals. Her work has appeared in many journals and she is the recipient of many honours.

Shirley Geok-Lin Lim was born in Malacca, Malaysia, in 1944 and has lived in the United States of America since 1969. She completed her Ph.D. in British and American Literature in Brandeis University in 1973. Her first collection of poems, Crossing the Peninsula (1980), received the Commonwealth Poetry Prize. She has also published four volumes of poetry: No Man’s Grove (1985); Modern Secrets (1989); Monsoon History (1994), which is a retrospective selection of her work; and What the Fortune Teller Didn’t Say (1998). She is also the author of three books of short stories and a memoir, Among the White Moon Faces (1996), which received the 1997 American Book Award for non-fiction. Her first novel, Joss and Gold, was published in 2001. Her co-edited anthology, The Forbidden Stitch: An Asian American Woman’s Anthology received the 1990 American Book Award. She has published two critical studies, Nationalism and Literature: Writing in English from the Philippines and Singapore (1993) and Writing South East Asia in English: Against the Grain (1994) and has edited / co-edited many volumes and two special issues of journals. Her work has appeared in many journals and she is the recipient of many honours.

artwork-image

RELATED FEATURES

Video April 7 2026

The 2026 Shortlist

Discover this year's Dublin Literary Award Shortlist
News April 7 2026

2026 Dublin Literary Award Shortlist is Announced

Delve into the 6 novels shortlisted this year.
News April 2 2026

Past Winner Spotlight: Michael Crummey

Reflecting on his 2025 Dublin Literary Award win with his novel 'The Adversary', libraries, literature and more.
News March 11 2026

Translator Spotlight: Jo Heinrich

Reflecting on translating the 2023 winning novel 'Marzahn, Mon Amour' and life as a literary translator.

STAY CONNECTED

Stay in touch and sign up to our newsletter to receive all the latest news and updates on the Dublin Literary Award.