Prager grew up in Oklahoma, the Far East, and Greenwich Village, NY. She is a graduate of Barnard College. She acted in television in the 1960s, and was a writer for, and (unseen) cast member of Saturday Night Live. Her works include In the Missionary Positions, the short story collection A Visit From the Footbinder and Other Stories, and the novels Eve's Tattoo, Clea and Zeus Divorce, and Roger Fishbite. She has also written the non-fiction work Wuhu Diary. She has written for the Village Voice, the New York Times, the Daily Telegraph, Penthouse, and The Guardian. She currently teaches at the Shanghai American School (Pudong Campus) in Shanghai, China. Dana Elcar was her stepfather.