Paul Bowles was an American writer and composer born on December 30, 1910, in New York City, and passed away on November 18, 1999, in Tangier, Morocco. He is best known for his 1949 novel "The Sheltering Sky," which is a seminal work of post-World War II literature exploring themes of existential despair and alienation. Bowles was a multi-talented artist who also gained recognition for his music, particularly his compositions for stage productions, and he was acquainted with notable figures of the literary and artistic world, such as Gertrude Stein, Tennessee Williams, and Aaron Copland. Throughout his career, Bowles wrote novels, short stories, poetry, and travel essays, often drawing upon his experiences living as an expatriate in North Africa. His evocative prose often captured the landscapes and cultural encounters of the places he visited, and his works are characterized by a sense of detachment and the exploration of the human psyche. Bowles spent much of his life in Tangier, where he became a central figure in the expatriate literary community and influenced a generation of writers and travelers. His other notable works include "Let It Come Down" (1952) and "The Spider's House" (1955).