Mary Doria Russell is an American novelist born on August 19, 1950, in the suburbs of Chicago. Her early life was influenced by her parents, both military personnel; her father served as a Marine Corps drill sergeant, and her mother was a Navy nurse.

Russell holds a Ph.D. in Paleoanthropology from the University of Michigan and has pursued studies in cultural anthropology at the University of Illinois and social anthropology at Northeastern University in Boston.

She resides in Cleveland, Ohio, with her husband, Don, and their two dogs. Despite her shyness towards online platforms, Russell is known for her approachable nature and prefers communication through email, available via her website.