Tobias Jonathan Ansell Wolff, born on June 19, 1945, is an acclaimed American short story writer, memoirist, novelist, and teacher of creative writing. He has distinguished himself in the literary world with his profound contributions, particularly through his memoirs such as This Boy's Life (1989) and In Pharaoh's Army (1994). Wolff's narrative artistry extends to four short story collections and two novels, with The Barracks Thief (1984) being a notable work that secured the PEN/Faulkner Award for Fiction.

Wolff's career also includes receiving a prestigious National Medal of Arts from President Barack Obama in September 2015. His academic journey commenced at Syracuse University, where he served from 1982 to 1997. Since 1997, he has been a part of Stanford University, holding the position of Ward W. and Priscilla B. Woods Professor in the School of Humanities and Sciences. Wolff's commitment to nurturing the next generation of writers is evident through his teaching in English and creative writing, alongside his tenure as the director of the Creative Writing Program at Stanford from 2000 to 2002.