Mark Haddon is a distinguished English novelist, poet, and illustrator. He achieved widespread acclaim for his novel The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time published in 2003. This groundbreaking work, which presents the story from the perspective of a boy with Asperger's syndrome, won him multiple awards including the prestigious Whitbread Award, the Dolly Gray Children's Literature Award, the Guardian Prize, and the Commonwealth Writers Prize.

Haddon's early education took place at Uppingham School and Merton College, Oxford, where he pursued a Master of Arts degree in English Literature. His understanding of Asperger's syndrome and his portrayal of autistic characters in his writing is informed by his past work with autistic individuals.

In addition to his novels, Haddon has written several children's books which he has also illustrated. He has contributed to television by writing scripts for TV series and films. Haddon is also known for his teaching endeavors in literature and creative writing at the University of Oxford and the Arvon Foundation.

Mark Haddon's talents extend beyond writing and teaching as he is an avid painter, focusing on abstract art. He is married to Sos Eltis and continues to be an influential figure in the literary world.