Paul Benjamin Auster was an American author, director, and filmmaker known for his unique blend of absurdism, existentialism, crime fiction, and the exploration of identity and personal meaning. His notable works include The New York Trilogy (1987), Moon Palace (1989), The Music of Chance (1990), The Book of Illusions (2002), and The Brooklyn Follies (2005). His books have been translated into more than forty languages.

In 2006, he was awarded the Prince of Asturias Prize for Literature. Other honors include the Prix Médicis Étranger for Leviathan, the Independent Spirit Award for the screenplay of Smoke, and the Premio Napoli for Sunset Park. In 2012, he became the first recipient of the NYC Literary Honors in the category of fiction.