Ruta Sepetys
Born: November 19, 1967 – Detroit, Michigan, United States
Ruta Sepetys is a Lithuanian American writer of young adult and crossover historical fiction focused on overlooked 20th-century traumas, especially in Eastern Europe. She is best known for Between Shades of Gray, Salt to the Sea, and I Must Betray You; her novels are international bestsellers translated into dozens of languages.
Biography & Author's Journey
Ruta Sepetys is a Lithuanian-American novelist whose career has been shaped by family memory, music, and a sustained interest in overlooked history. Born in Michigan, she was raised in a family of artists, readers, and music lovers, and she has described herself as the daughter of a Lithuanian refugee. Her early education moved in two directions at once: she entered college intending to study opera, but ultimately graduated with a degree in international finance. Before turning to fiction, she spent about twenty years in the music industry, working with artists and songwriters and learning how story can be distilled into voice, rhythm, and emotional compression. ((https://rutasepetys.com/Ruta_Sepetys-Full_Bio.pdf))
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Community Voices
"Ruta Sepetys acts as champion of the interstitial people so often ignored"
— The New York Times Book Review
"Ruta Sepetys is more than just an author — she's history's answer to CSI"
— Mashable
"Ruta Sepetys has crafted a brilliant story of love and survival"
— Laurie Halse Anderson
"Ruta Sepetys's riveting novel is a haunting reminder of an almost-forgotten disaster"
— The Washington Post
"Ruta Sepetys is one of the best world ambassadors for human dignity"
— Marijus Gudynas
"Ruta Sepetys is a master of historical fiction"
— Elizabeth Wein
"In terrifying detail, Ruta Sepetys re-creates World War II coming of age all too timely today"
— Richard Peck
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From Columbia University alumni built in San Francisco
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
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