Sonali Deraniyagala

About the Author

Sonali Deraniyagala is a Sri Lankan-born author and academic whose poignant memoir Wave: A Memoir captures the profound devastation of the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami that claimed the lives of her husband, parents, and two young sons. A professor of economics at the University of London, Deraniyagala channels her personal tragedy into a raw, unflinching narrative that explores grief, loss, and the fragile threads of memory. Her writing bridges the intimate and the universal, offering readers a visceral journey through unimaginable sorrow while illuminating the resilience of the human spirit. Wave has been widely acclaimed for its emotional depth and literary grace, earning international recognition and a place on numerous bestseller lists.