Russell Earl Banks (March 28, 1940 – January 8, 2023) was an American writer of fiction and poetry. His novels are known for detailed accounts of domestic strife and the daily struggles of ordinary, often-marginalized characters. He drew from his own childhood in the working class, as well as from his experiences in Jamaica. His works often reflect moral themes and personal relationships.

Banks was a member of the International Parliament of Writers and a member of the American Academy of Arts and Letters. His work has been translated into twenty languages and has received numerous international prizes and awards. He wrote both fiction and non-fiction, including Dreaming up America. His main works include the novels Continental Drift, Rule of the Bone, Cloudsplitter, The Sweet Hereafter, and Affliction. The latter two novels were each made into feature films in 1997.