Witold Marian Gombrowicz was a Polish writer and playwright, born on August 4, 1904, and passed away on July 24, 1969. His literary works are renowned for their deep psychological analysis, an inherent sense of paradox and absurdity, and an anti-nationalist flavor.

In 1937, Gombrowicz published his first novel, Ferdydurke, which encapsulated many recurrent themes in his work: the challenges of immaturity and youth, the creation of identity through interactions with others, and a critical examination of class roles within Polish society and culture.

Although he achieved fame only towards the end of his life, Gombrowicz is now considered a leading figure in Polish literature. His diaries, published in 1969, are regarded as his masterpiece by The Paris Review, while Cosmos is claimed by The New Yorker to be his most accomplished novel. Notably, Gombrowicz was nominated for the Nobel Prize in Literature four times, from 1966 to 1969.