Stephen Alter is an American author, primarily of non-fiction but also of fiction, who was born and raised in India, where he grew up as the son of missionaries. He is the author of eighteen books of fiction and non-fiction. He was born in Mussoorie, Uttarakhand, India and much of his writing focuses on the Himalayan region, where he continues to live and work. Among the honors he has received are fellowships from the Guggenheim Foundation, the Fulbright Program, the East West Centre in Hawaii, and the Banff Centre for Mountain Culture.