Carsten Jensen was born 24 July, 1952, in Marstal on the Danish island of Ærø in the Baltic Sea. He is internationally successful Danish writer of fiction, an essayist, political columnist and literary critic. He holds an MA in Literature from the University of Copenhagen (1981) and was an adjunct professor in Cultural Analysis at the Faculty of Humanities at University of Southern Denmark 2001-2006.

Carsten Jensen has worked as a critic for several Danish newspapers, including Information, Det Fri Aktuelt, Ekstra Bladet, Morgenavisen Jyllands-Posten, Politiken and Berlingske Tidende. From 1985-90 he served as editor of the literary magazine Fredag.

Prizes:
PH-prisen 1987
Brandes-prisen 1993
Det danske Akademis Otto Gelsted-pris 1997
Boghandlernes gyldne Laurbær 1997   (for I have Seen the World Begin)
Holberg-Medaillen 1999
Danske Banks Litteraturpris 2007 (for We, the Drowned)
P2s Romanpris 2007 (for We, the Drowned)
The Olof Palme Prize 2010