Russell Marcus

Russell Marcus is an American businessman and writer who originally met Thawan in 1970 and was impressed by his artistry. At that time, Thawan was just beginning his career as an artist, but his works were already powerful and steeped in Buddhist philosophy. In 1974, Russell Marcus wrote Forms of Man to focus on the synchronicity of Buddhist quotations with Thawan’s works. Over the years he visited Thawan at his homes in Bangkok and Chiang Rai and has spent years admiring the skill of the artist and absorbing the depth of Buddhist content in his artworks. This book presents his observations as well as many details related to the artist.

Other works Russell Marcus has written include: English-Lao: Lao-English Dictionary (as chief editor, Tuttle, 1970), Lao Proverbs: The intuitive wisdom of the Lao culture (1974), and The Guide to Japanese Food and Restaurants (co-authored with Jack Plimpton, Shufunotomo, 1985) which the New York Times food critic Craig Claiborne complimented as being “one of the finest and most comprehensive guides to dining I have ever encountered.” 

Russell Marcus lives with his wife in Japan.