Donald Ray Pollock is an American writer, born on December 23, 1954. He gained notable recognition with his collection of short stories, Knockemstiff, first published in 2008 and inspired by his own upbringing in Knockemstiff, Ohio. His debut novel, The Devil All the Time, released in 2011, was met with critical acclaim. Pollock took on the role of narrator for the film adaptation of this novel in 2020.

Born and raised in southern Ohio, Pollock left high school at seventeen to work in a meatpacking plant, eventually spending thirty-two years at a paper mill in Chillicothe, Ohio. He later graduated from the MFA program at Ohio State University in 2009. Pollock currently resides in Chillicothe with his wife, Patsy. His work has been featured in several prestigious publications including The New York Times and Granta.