Rose Zwi is the daughter of Jewish Lithuanian parents, and was born in Mexico. She lived in London and Israel, but spent most of her life in South Africa where she raised her children and was active in the Black Sash Movement against Apartheid. She has lived in Australia since 1988.

She is the author of five novels and she has won several prizes for her work. Her latest book is a collection of short stories, Speak the Truth, Laughing.

Speak the Truth, Laughing, Shortlisted Steele Rudd Award

Last Walk in Naryshkin Park, Winner, Asia Pacific Publishers' Association Award

Last Walk in Naryshkin Park, 1999 Shortlisted, NSW Premier's General History Award

Another Year in Africa, 1995 listed as among the best books of the year, The Australian

Safe Houses, 1994 Australian Human Rights Award for fiction

Safe Houses, 1993 "Top Twenty Title" Listener Women's Book Festival, New Zealand

Another Year in Africa, 1980 Winner, Olive Schreiner Award

Last Walk in Naryshkin Park - Chinese, German, South Africa

Another Year in Africa - Italian