SAID was born in Tehran, and immigrated as a seventeen-year-old student to Germany; since then, he has lived in Munich. A prominent figure in the German literary scene, he's been honored with the coveted Goethe-Medal as well as the Adelbert von Chamisso Prize. His publications include eight volumes of poetry and five collections of essays, all in German, as well as children's books and two memoirs. Mark Burrows has worked with SAID since the two met in Munich in 2009.