Eduardo Mendoza Garriga was born on January 11, 1943, in Barcelona, Spain. He is a celebrated Spanish novelist, known for his profound impact on modern Spanish literature.

Primarily a novelist, Mendoza has also ventured into essays and short stories. He gained significant acclaim in 2010 when he received the Premio Planeta for his novel Riña de gatos. Madrid 1936, and in 2016, he was awarded the prestigious Premio Cervantes, the highest honor for literature in the Spanish language.

Mendoza studied law in the 1960s and lived in New York from 1973 to 1982, working as an interpreter for the United Nations. During his time in New York, he engaged with notable literary figures such as novelists Juan Benet and Juan García Hortelano, poet Pere Gimferrer, and writer Félix de Azúa.

In 1975, he published his successful debut novel La verdad sobre el caso Savolta (The Truth about the Savolta Case), demonstrating his adeptness at employing diverse resources and styles. The novel is regarded as a precursor to the social change in post-Franco Spain and is seen as one of the first novels of the democratic transition.