Russell Banks was born in Newton, Massachussets on March 28, 1940. His family was of a humble origin and after graduating from the University of North Carolina at Chappel Hill “he tried his hand at plumbing and as a shoe salesman and window trimmer.” (bookbrowse.com, Russell Banks Biography). Now he is called a “New York State Author” (“Website of New York State Authors Institute”) and is also an Artist in Residence at the University of Maryland. Banks is an American novelist best known for his “detailed accounts of domestic strife and the daily struggles of ordinary often-marginalized characters”. (Russell Banks – Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and Up), 2011). His stories usually revolve around his own childhood experiences, the often reflect “moral themes and personal relationships”. (Russell Banks – Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and Up), 2011). A prolific writer of fiction, his titles include Searching for Survivors, Family Life, Hamilton Stark, The New World, The Book of Jamaica, Trailerpark, and many other short stories. He has also contributed poems, stories, and essays to The Boston Globe Magazine, Vanity Fair, The New York Times Book Review, Esquire, Harper's, and many other publications (bookbrowse.com, Russell Banks Biography). Many of Banks's works reflect his working-class upbringing. His stories often show people facing tragedy and downturns in everyday life, expressing sadness and self-doubt, but also showing resilience and strength in the face of their difficulties. He is a member of the International Parliament of Writers and a member of the American Academy of Arts and Letters. His works have been translated into twenty languages and have received numerous international prizes and awards. Russell Banks has lived in a variety of places, from New England to Jamaica, which have contributed to the richness of his writing. One of his protagonist's, for example, Bone, from Rule of the Bone, goes to Jamaica and the whole second part of the book takes...