Leif Enger (born 1961) is an American novelist known for lyrical, emotionally resonant fiction rooted in the landscapes and communities of the Upper Midwest. A former Minnesota Public Radio reporter and producer, he became a national bestselling author with his acclaimed 2001 debut, Peace Like a River, followed by So Brave, Young, and Handsome, Virgil Wander, and I Cheerfully Refuse. Enger grew up in Osakis, Minnesota, studied English at Minnesota State University Moorhead, and now lives with his wife, Robin, on a farm near Duluth, Minnesota. His novels frequently explore family, faith, loss, wonder, and the persistence of hope in difficult circumstances.