Mireille Silcoff

Mireille Silcoff (born February 1, 1973 in Montreal) is a Canadian author, journalist, and editor. She is the author of four books, including the award-winning work of fiction Chez L'arabe (Anansi). Silcoff was a longstanding columnist with the National Post[1] and is a contributor to publications including The New York Times Magazine,[2][3][4] The Guardian, and Ha'aretz. She is the founding editor of Guilt & Pleasure Quarterly, "a magazine of new Jewish writing and ideas" (2005-2007), and the founder of a Toronto-based discussion salon[5] (2004-2006) that was connected to the magazine.[6] In 2006, Silcoff stepped away from all journalism, magazine work, and public appearances after developing the rare neurological syndrome, Chronic Cerebrospinal Fluid Leaks.[7] After years of being bedridden,[8] she began writing again for the National Post in 2010 and for the New York Times Magazine in 2011. The partially autobiographical [9] Chez L'arabe describes her cloistered world of severe illness.[10]

From the age of 19 to 24, Silcoff was a music journalist specializing in nightclub culture. Up until 2001, she published under the pen name Mireille Silcott, authoring two books under that name, Rave America (ECW Press, 1998) and The Book of E (Omnibus Press, 2000, co-authored with Push).