Paul Benjamin Auster is an American author and director known for his distinctive blend of absurdism, existentialism, crime fiction, and the exploration of identity and personal meaning. His prolific career includes such notable works as The New York Trilogy (1987), Moon Palace (1989), The Music of Chance (1990), The Book of Illusions (2002), The Brooklyn Follies (2005), Invisible (2009), Sunset Park (2010), Winter Journal (2012), and 4 3 2 1 (2017). Auster's works have been translated into more than forty languages, reaching an international audience and cementing his place as one of the most respected contemporary American writers.

Auster has been the recipient of numerous awards and honors, including being named Knight of the Order of Arts and Letters by France in 1992 and receiving the prestigious Prince of Asturias Award for Literature in 2006. He is also a member of the American Academy of Arts and Letters, the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and holds the title of Commandeur de l'Ordre des Arts et des Lettres. A stalwart figure in literary circles, Auster continues to influence the landscape of American literature and film.