Born: 1949, Johnstown, New YorkLives: Portland, Maine
Richard Russo was born in Johnstown, New York, and studied at the University of Arizona, where he took a BA, an MFA and a PhD. He taught at Southern Illinois University Carbondale and at Colby College before retiring in 1996 to write full time.
His books often depict small-town life in the northeastern United States, and several have been adapted for film and television. He lives in Portland, Maine.