Edna O'Brien is an Irish novelist, playwright, and poet known for her frank and often controversial depictions of female sexuality, particularly in her native Ireland. She is the author of more than twenty books, including the novel The Country Girls, which was banned in Ireland upon its publication in 1960. Her other works include the novel The Little Red Chairs, the memoir Country Girl, and the play Virginity. She was the recipient of the 2020 PEN/Nabokov Award for Lifetime Achievement.