Bryan Thao Worra

Bryan Thao Worra
Bryan Thao Worra 2008
Born	Thao Somnouk Silosoth (1973-01-01) January 1, 1973 (age 44) Vientiane, Laos
Nationality	United States
Ethnicity	Laotian American
Genre	Poetry, Short Story, Playwright

Bryan Thao Worra (born January 1, 1973) is a Laotian American writer. His books include On The Other Side Of The Eye, Touching Detonations, Winter Ink, Barrow and The Tuk Tuk Diaries: My Dinner With Cluster Bombs. He is the first Laotian American to receive a Fellowship in Literature from the United States government's National Endowment for the Arts. He received the Asian Pacific Leadership Award from the State Council on Asian Pacific Minnesotans for Leadership in the Arts in 2009. He received the Science Fiction Poetry Association Elgin Award for Book of the Year in 2014. He was selected as a Cultural Olympian representing Laos during the 2012 London Summer Olympics. He is the first Asian American president of the international Science Fiction and Fantasy Poetry Association, and the first Laotian American member of the professional Horror Writers Assocation.

Bryan Thao Worra was born Thao Somnouk Silosoth (Lao: ທ້າວ ສອມນກຸກ ສກິລອສອທ) in Vientiane, Laos on January 1, 1973 during the Laotian Secret War (1954–1975).

He came to the United States in July 1973. Bryan Thao Worra's early years were spent in Missoula, Montana, Anchorage, Alaska, and Saline, Michigan. Thao Worra currently resides in the Hawthorne neighborhood of Minneapolis, Minnesota and the city of Hemet, California.

Bryan Thao Worra was adopted when he was three days old by an American pilot named John Worra, who flew for Royal Air Lao, a civilian airline company. Thao Worra's cousin, Dr. Caroline Worra, is an opera singer and educator.

In 2003, Thao Worra reunited with his biological family after nearly 30 years during a visit to Laos. He has three biological sisters and one brother on his mother's side. His mother was Nang Mitthalinh Silosot, who was also adopted. His father was Thao Souphanh, who is believed deceased.