Joy Kogawa was born in Vancouver in 1935. Like other Japanese Canadians, she and her family were interned and persecuted during the Second World War. Obasan is based on Kogawa's own experiences and on letters and documents of the time. Kogawa is a member of the Order of Canada and has authored four books of poetry, a book for children, and two other novels. Obasan won the 1981 Books in Canada First Novel Award and the 1982 CAA Book of the Year Award.