David James Duncan, born in 1952, is a celebrated American novelist and essayist, widely recognized for his bestselling novels The River Why (1983) and The Brothers K (1992). His literary works are not only compelling but also rich with themes of fly fishing, baseball, and the intricacies of family dynamics.

His debut novel, The River Why, alongside The Brothers K, has been honored with the Pacific Northwest Booksellers award. Remarkably, The Brothers K was declared a New York Times Notable Book in 1992 and received a Best Books Award from the American Library Association. His third novel, Sun House, was released by Little, Brown and Company in August 2023, adding to his distinguished bibliography.

Aside from his novels, Duncan has also made a significant contribution to literature through his collection of short stories, River Teeth (1996). Furthermore, his novel The River Why was adapted into a film in 2008, featuring William Hurt and Amber Heard. This adaptation, however, led to a lawsuit filed by Duncan on April 30, 2008, alleging copyright infringement among other issues.