Hanuman Books was originally a 50 book series of very small books, formatted to resemble Indian prayer books. In 1986 Hanuman Books was founded and published by American art critic Raymond Foye and artist Francesco Clemente in New York City. The original series ran from 1986 to 1993 out of the Chelsea Hotel.

Francesco Clemente is an Italian contemporary artist and book publisher. He has lived and worked at various times in Italy, India and New York City. Some of his work is influenced by the traditional art and culture of India. He has worked in various artistic media including drawing, fresco, graphics, mosaic, oils and sculpture. He was among the principal figures in the Italian Transavanguardia movement of the 1980s, which was characterized by a rejection of Formalism and conceptual art and a return to figurative art and Symbolism. He was the co-publisher of Hanuman Books from 1986 to 1993.