Paul Benjamin Auster was an American author and director known for his unique blend of absurdism, existentialism, crime fiction, and the exploration of identity and personal meaning. Some of his most famous 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.

Auster was awarded several prestigious honors throughout his career. In 2006, he received the Prince of Asturias Prize for Literature. Other notable accolades include the Prix Médicis Étranger for Leviathan, the Independent Spirit Award for the screenplay of Smoke, and the Premio Napoli for Sunset Park. Additionally, he was a finalist for the International IMPAC Dublin Literary Award, the PEN/Faulkner Award, the Edgar Award, and the Man Booker Prize.

His influence extended beyond literature as he was also a filmmaker. Auster was named a Chevalier of the Order of Arts and Letters of France in 1992 and became the first recipient of the NYC Literary Honors in fiction in 2012. He was a respected member of the American Academy of Arts and Letters.