He lived in Paris, New York, Scandinavia, London and Berlin. He currently lives with his family in Winterthur, Switzerland. Since 1990 he is a writer and a freelance journalist. His work has won several awards. He belongs to the most frequently translated author of contemporary Swiss literature.

Peter Stamm wrote five novels, the same number of collections of short stories, three children's books and a book of essays and lectures. He is the author of nearly two dozen theater and radio plays.