Good heavens! After reading Justin's blog, I realised I'd omitted Ishiguro from my last post.

Kazuo Ishiguro!

was born in Nagasaki, and moved to England when he was 6. For him too English was not a first nor familiar language, yet he found literary acclaim in that medium.

I wonder if I can add Ha Jin to this lot of uneasy, uncomfortable writers? He, too, started writing while in the US. Exclusively in English.

So, how fertile is exile?