Herman Koch is a Dutch author and actor best known for his novels The Dinner and Summer House with Swimming Pool. He was born in 1953 in Arnhem, Netherlands and studied Dutch literature at the University of Amsterdam. He has written several novels, plays, and short stories, and has also acted in several films and television series. Koch's novels are often darkly humorous and explore themes of morality, family, and relationships. His most famous novel, The Dinner, was adapted into a film in 2017 and tells the story of two couples who meet for dinner to discuss a shocking incident involving their teenage sons. His other works include Summer House with Swimming Pool, The Ditch, and Dear Mr. M. Koch has won numerous awards for his writing, including the Libris Literature Prize, the AKO Literature Prize, and the European Book Prize. He has also been nominated for the International IMPAC Dublin Literary Award and the Prix Femina. He is considered one of the most important Dutch authors of the 21st century.