Russell Foreman was educated at Xavier College, Melbourne, and later at Trinity College, London. He was at various times a journalist, radio broadcaster and aeronautical engineer. His novel Long Pig sold over one million copies. He was also an artist of note, as well as an art critic. He lived in Tuscany for many years and a Russell Foreman Retrospective Exhibiton was held at the Monash Prato Centre, Florence, in September 2002.