Boris Vian (10 March 1920 – 23 June 1959) was a French polymath renowned for his contributions to literature, music, and the arts. He was a novelist, dramatist, poet, jazz musician, engineer, journalist, and translator. Vian published novels under the pseudonym Vernon Sullivan, which were bizarre parodies of criminal fiction and highly controversial at the time of their release due to their unconventional outlook.

Vian's other fictional works, published under his real name, are noted for their distinctive writing style characterized by numerous invented words, subtle wordplay, and surrealistic plots. His novel Froth on the Daydream (L'Écume des jours) is his best-known work and one of the few translated into English. Another notable work is Heartsnatcher (L'Arrache-cœur).

Vian played a significant role in the French jazz scene, serving as a liaison for artists such as Hoagy Carmichael, Duke Ellington, and Miles Davis in Paris. He contributed to several French jazz reviews, including Le Jazz Hot and Paris Jazz, and published numerous articles about jazz both in the United States and France. His music and songs gained popularity during his lifetime, particularly his anti-war anthem "Le Déserteur" ("The Deserter").