Paul Edward Theroux (born April 10 in Medford Massachusetts, 1941) is an American travel writer and novelist. His first novel was called Waldo[?].

His novel Doctor Slaughter[?] was made into a film, Half Moon Street[?] (1986), starring Michael Caine and Sigourney Weaver, which received bad reviews from film critics.

His novel The Mosquito Coast was also made into a film of the same name (1986), directed by Peter Weir, and starring Harrison Ford, Helen Mirren, and River Phoenix. It receive a more positive reception.

Theroux has two sons by his first wife. They are the writer and television presenter Marcel Theroux[?], and the television presenter Louis Theroux. Theroux currently lives on Hawaii.