Peter Handke was born in Griffen, Austria on December 6, 1942. He studied law at Graz University from 1961 to 1965. He is a playwright, novelist, poet, and essayist. His plays include Offending the Audience, Kaspar, and The Ride across Lake Constance. His novels include The Goalie's Anxiety at the Penalty Kick, The Left-Handed Woman, and A Sorrow beyond Dreams. He was awarded the Buchner Prize in 1973 and refused to accept the Kafka Prize in 1979.