Gerhard Roth, along with Peter Handke and the late Thomas Bernhard, is one of the most important writers in contemporary Austria. The common theme of his novels and plays is the isolation of the individual living in an unintelligible world.

Roth was born on 24 June 1942 in Graz, Austria, to Emil Roth, a doctor, and Erna Druschnitz Roth. After completing his Matura (school-leaving examination) in 1961 he studied medicine at the University of Graz. On 16 September 1963 he married Erika Wolfgruber; they have three children: Eva, Petra, and Thomas. The repulsion Roth felt for dissection, combined with the necessity to support his family, caused him to abandon his studies. From 1967 until 1977 he worked at the computing center in Graz before deciding to become a free-lance author. He was divorced in 1986.

Roth was a member of the Graz literary groups Forum Stadtpark (City Park Forum) and Grazer Autorenversammlung (Gathering of Graz Authors...