Richard Russo is an American novelist, short story writer, screenwriter, and teacher. He was born on July 15, 1949. In 2002, he was awarded the Pulitzer Prize in Fiction for his novel Empire Falls. Several of his works have been adapted into television series and movies. He is known for his realistic depictions of rural, small-town life in the Northeastern United States, particularly in Maine, Pennsylvania, and Russo's native Upstate New York.

Russo is the author of seven previous novels, two collections of stories, and Elsewhere, a memoir. His novel Empire Falls was adapted into a multiple-award-winning HBO miniseries.