(U.S.A 1978) Mengestu is an American novelist and writer born in Ethiopia and raised in Peoria Illinois. In both his novels The Beautiful Things that Heaven Bears (2007) and How to Read the Air (2010), Mengestu explores his African roots while dealing with racial issues. His writing has featured in several publications including Rolling Stone, Jane and The Wall Street Journal. Mengestu was awarded the MacArthur Foundation genius grant in 2012.