Robert J. Marcuse was born in Brussels, Belgium, and emigrated to Montevideo, Uruguay, when his country was invaded by the Nazis in 1940. He studied at the French School in Uruguay and at Columbia University and Harvard University in the United States. He wrote several books on finances and economics; two novels, También . . .  también . . . la danza de las opciones and De piso a piso, novela con ascensor; and a book of short stories, Cuentos de aquí y de más allá, which contains the short story “Juan Manuel’s Shadow.” With his wife, Aída E. Marcuse, he wrote a well-received book on economics for children, ¿Cuánto vale una vaca?