Louisa May Alcott was born in Germantown, Pennsylvania, on November 29, 1832. She and her three sisters, Anna, Elizabeth, and [Abba] May, were primarily educated by their father, teacher/philosopher A. Bronson Alcott, and raised on the practical Christianity of their mother, Abigail May. Louisa spent her childhood in Boston and in Concord, Massachusetts, where her days were enlightened by visits to Ralph Waldo Emerson’s library, excursions into nature with Henry David Thoreau, and theatricals in the barn at "Hillside" (now "The Wayside").&nbsp;&nbsp;
Like the character of "Jo March" in Little Women, young Louisa was a tomboy. "No boy could be my friend till I had beaten him in a race," she claimed, "and no girl if she refused to climb trees, leap fences." For Louisa, writing was an early passion. She had a rich imagination, and her stories often became the basis of melodramas she and her sisters would act out for friends. Louisa preferred to play the "lurid" parts in these plays -- "the villains, ghosts, bandits, and disdainful queens," as she put it.
At age 15, troubled by the poverty plaguing her family, she vowed, "I will do something by and by. Don’t care what, teach, sew, act, write, anything to help the family, and I’ll be rich and famous and happy before I die; see if I won’t!" Confronting a society that offered little opportunity to women seeking employment, Louisa nonetheless persisted: ". . . I will make a battering ram of my head and make my way through this rough and tumble world." Whether as a teacher, seamstress, governess, or household servant, for many years, Louisa did any work she could find.
Louisa’s career as an author began at the age of eight with poetry and later short stories that appeared in popular magazines. In 1854, when she was 22, her first book, Flower Fables, was published. A major critical milestone along her literary path was Hospital Sketches (1863), a truthful and poignant account of her service as a Civil War nurse in Washington, DC, inspired by the letters she wrote home to her family in Concord.
In 1868, when Louisa was 35 years old, her publisher, Thomas Niles, asked her to write "a girls' story." The 492 pages of Little Women, Part I was dashed off within three months at the desk Louisa's father built for her in her Orchard House bed chamber. The novel is largely based on the coming-of-age stories of Louisa and her sisters, with many of the domestic experiences inspired by events that actually took place at Orchard House.
Virtually overnight, Little Women was a phenomenal success, primarily due to its timeless storytelling about the first American juvenile heroine, "Jo March," who acted from her own individuality -- a free-thinking, flawed person, rather than the idealized stereotype of feminine perfection then prevalent in children’s fiction. In all, Louisa published over 30 books and collections of short stories and poems. She died on 6 March 1888, only two days after her father, and is buried in Sleepy Hollow Cemetery in Concord.

Louisa

Neil Richard Gaiman was born on November 10, 1960, in Portchester, England. He originated from a family of Eastern European Jewish descent. His father, David Bernard Gaiman, worked at their family chain of stores, while his mother, Sheila Gaiman, was a pharmacist. In 1965 the family moved to East Grinstead, West Sussex, where Neil grew up with a profound love for reading, beginning as early as age 4.&nbsp;
Some of his favorite childhood books include J. R. R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings, C. S. Lewis’s The Chronicles of Narnia, Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, Batman, and other comics. Gaiman received early education at various church schools, including Fonthill School in East Grinstead, Ardingly College, and Whitgift School in Croydon.
When Gaiman began to outgrow comic books in his teenage years, he realized the lack of comic books for an older mature audience. He, therefore, decided to fill the gap himself. Although he wanted to write comic books, Gaiman had little idea how to go about it. Following his graduation from high school in 1977, Gaiman became a journalist writing articles for a number of renowned publications such as the Sunday Times, the Observer, Knave, and Time Out.&nbsp;
In March 1985, Gaiman married McGrath after the birth of their son Michael in 1983. The couple had two more children, Holly and Madeleine. In 1984, Gaiman wrote his first book, a biography of the band Duran Duran. He continued writing articles and interviews in magazines under pseudonyms. However, in 1987, Gaiman waved goodbye to journalism, stating, “British newspapers can make up anything they want and publish it as fact.”&nbsp;
Also, in the late 1980s, Gaiman published Don’t Panic: The Official Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy Companion. Gaiman started writing comic books, continuing the series of Marvelman after its original creator and Gaiman’s friend Alan Moore abandoned it. After his impressive work on Marvelman, Gaiman was offered to write the limited series of Black Orchard and also to re-write an old character, The Sandman. From December 1988 to March 1966, Gaiman produced work on The Sandman, which was later collected in 12 volumes.&nbsp;
More significant comic works by Neil Gaiman include The Books of Magic (1989), Lady Justice, and Mr. Hero. The Newmatic Man, Teknophage, Tales of the White Wolf, Whatever happened to the Caper Crusader, as well as contributions to Wednesday Comics.

Neil

Philip Hampson Knight (born February 24, 1938) is an American billionaire businessman. He is the co-founder and chairman emeritus of Nike, Inc., and was previously chairman and CEO of the company. As of October 3, 2022, Knight was ranked by Forbes as the 27th richest person in the world, with an estimated net worth of US$35.2 billion. He is also the owner of the stop motion film production company Laika.&nbsp;
Knight is a graduate of the University of Oregon and Stanford Graduate School of Business. He was in the track and field club under coach Bill Bowerman at the University of Oregon, with whom he would co-found Nike. Knight has donated hundreds of millions of dollars to each of his alma maters, as well as Oregon Health &amp; Science University. He has donated over $2 billion to the three institutions.

Phil

Born in New York in 1919, Jerome David Salinger dropped out of several schools before enrolling in a writing class at Columbia University, publishing his first piece ("The Young Folks") in Story magazine. Soon after, the New Yorker picked up the heralded "A Perfect Day for Bananafish," and more pieces followed, including "Slight Rebellion off Madison" in 1941, an early Holden Caulfield story. Following a stint in Europe for World War II, Salinger returned to New York and began work on his signature novel, 1951's "The Catcher in the Rye," an immediate bestseller for its iconoclastic hero and forthright use of profanity.&nbsp;
Following this success, Salinger retreated to his Cornish, New Hampshire, home where he grew increasingly private, eventually erecting a wall around his property and publishing just three more books: "Nine Stories," "Franny and Zooey," "Raise High the Roof Beam, and Carpenters and Seymour: An Introduction." Salinger was married twice and had two children. He died of natural causes on January 27, 2010, in New Hampshire at the age of 91.

J.D.

Alexandre Dumas, père (French for "father," akin to Senior in English), born Dumas Davy de la Pailleterie, was a French writer, best known for his numerous historical novels of high adventure, which have made him one of the most widely read French authors in the world. Many of his novels, including The Count of Monte Cristo, The Three Musketeers, The Man in the Iron Mask, and The Vicomte de Bragelonne, were serialized. Dumas also wrote plays and magazine articles and was a prolific correspondent.
Dumas was of Haitian descent and mixed race. His father, General Thomas-Alexandre Dumas Davy de la Pailleterie, was born in the French colony of Saint-Domingue (present-day Haiti) to Alexandre Antoine Davy de la Pailleterie, a French nobleman, and Marie-Cessette Dumas, a black slave. At age 14, Thomas-Alexandre was taken by his father to France, where he was educated in a military academy and entered the military for what became an illustrious career.
Dumas's father's aristocratic rank helped young Alexandre Dumas acquire work with Louis-Philippe, Duke of Orléans, then as a writer, finding early success. He became one of the leading authors of the French Romantic Movement in Paris.

Alexandre

Sir William Gerald Golding CBE FRSL was a British novelist, playwright, and poet. Best known for his debut novel Lord of the Flies (1954), he published another twelve volumes of fiction in his lifetime. In 1980, he was awarded the Booker Prize for Rites of Passage, the first novel in his sea trilogy, To the Ends of the Earth. He was awarded the 1983 Nobel Prize in Literature.
As a result of his contributions to literature, Golding was knighted in 1988. In addition, he was a fellow of the Royal Society of Literature. In 2008, The Times ranked Golding third on its list of "The 50 greatest British writers since 1945."
While still a teacher at Bishop Wordsworth's School in 1951, Golding began writing a manuscript of the novel initially titled Strangers from Within. In September 1953, after rejections from seven other publishers, Golding sent a manuscript to Faber and Faber and was initially rejected by their reader, Jan Perkins, who labeled it as "Rubbish &amp; dull. Pointless". His book, however, was championed by Charles Monteith, a new editor at the firm. Monteith asked for changes to the text, and the novel was published in September 1954 as Lord of the Flies.
After moving in 1958 from Salisbury to nearby Bowerchalke, he met his fellow villager and walking companion James Lovelock. The two discussed Lovelock's hypothesis that the living matter of the planet Earth functions like a single organism. Golding suggested naming this hypothesis after Gaia, the personification of the Earth in Greek mythology and the mother of the Titans. His publishing success made it possible for Golding to resign from his teaching post at Bishop Wordsworth's School in 1961. Instead, he spent that academic year in the United States as a writer-in-residence at Hollins College (now Hollins University) near Roanoke, Virginia.
Golding won the James Tait Black Memorial Prize for Darkness Visible in 1979 and the Booker Prize for Rites of Passage in 1980. In 1983, he was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature and was, according to the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, "an unexpected and even contentious choice." In 1988, Golding was appointed a Knight Bachelor. Then, in September 1993, only a few months after his unexpected death, the First International William Golding Conference was held in France.
His first novel, Lord of the Flies, describes a group of boys stranded on a tropical island descending into a lawless and increasingly wild existence before being rescued. The Inheritors (1955) depicts a tribe of gentle Neanderthals encountering modern humans, who, by comparison, are deceitful and violent. His 1956 novel Pincher Martin records the thoughts of a drowning sailor. Free Fall (1959) explores the issue of freedom of choice. The novel's narrator, a World War Two soldier in a German POW Camp, endures interrogation and solitary confinement.
After these events and while recollecting the experiences, he looks back over his choices, trying to trace precisely where he lost the freedom to make his own decisions. The Spire (1964) follows the construction (and near collapse) of an impossibly large spire on the top of a medieval cathedral (generally assumed to be Salisbury Cathedral).
Golding's 1967 novel, The Pyramid, consists of three linked stories with a shared setting in a small English town based partly on Marlborough, where Golding grew up. The Scorpion God (1971) contains three novellas. The first is set in an ancient Egyptian court ("The Scorpion God"); the second describes a prehistoric African hunter-gatherer group ("Clonk, Clonk"); and the third is in the court of a Roman emperor ("Envoy Extraordinary"). The last of these, initially published in 1956, was reworked by Golding into a play, The Brass Butterfly, in 1958. From 1971 to 1979, Golding published no novels. After this period, he published Darkness Visible (1979): a story involving terrorism, pedophilia, and a mysterious figure who survives a fire in the Blitz and appears to have supernatural powers.
In 1980, Golding published Rites of Passage, the first of his novels about a voyage to Australia in the early nineteenth century. The book won the Booker Prize in 1980, and Golding followed this success with Close Quarters (1987) and Fire Down Below (1989) to complete his 'sea trilogy,' later published as one volume entitled To the Ends of the Earth. In 1984, he published The Paper Men: an account of the struggles between a novelist and his would-be biographer.

William

John Crowley is an acclaimed American novelist, short story writer, and essayist. He is best known for his works of historical fiction, particularly the four-volume Ægypt series, the middle volume of which, Love &amp; Sleep (1994), was nominated for the World Fantasy Award. Crowley's works are noted for their lyricism, romanticism, and their transgressive explorations of alternative belief systems.
Born in 1942 in Presque Isle, Maine, where he grew up, Crowley attended Catholic schools and then the University of Maine, graduating in 1964 with a degree in English. Following a brief stint in the US Air Force, Crowley began his writing career in academia, teaching English and creative writing at Yale and Harvard. He also worked as a copywriter and editor at an advertising firm in New York City.
Crowley is an important figure in the fantasy genre, having been awarded the World Fantasy Award for Life Achievement in 2007. His works often blend elements of fantasy, horror, science fiction, and historical fiction, as well as spiritual, philosophical, and metaphysical themes. His first novel, The Deep (1975), is a science fiction novel set in a post-apocalyptic future. His second novel, Beasts (1976), is a contemporary fantasy set in rural Kentucky.
The Ægypt series, which consists of the novels The Solitudes (1987), Love &amp; Sleep (1994), Dæmonomania (2000), and Endless Things (2007), is often considered to be Crowley's magnum opus. This complex work of historical fiction follows an academic, Pierce Moffett, as he attempts to decipher the mysteries of the Renaissance philosopher Giordano Bruno. In the process, Pierce becomes embroiled in searching for an ancient and mysterious book, the Clavis, which he believes contains the secrets of the universe.
Crowley's other works of fiction include Little, Big (1981), a sprawling fantasy novel set in a mysterious world; Engine Summer (1979), a post-apocalyptic science fiction novel; and Ka: Dar Oakley in the Ruin of Ymr (2018), a retelling of the Finnish epic Kalevala. Crowley has also penned a number of short stories and non-fiction essays, some of which have been collected in the volumes Novelty (1989) and Novelties &amp; Souvenirs (1999).
John Crowley's works have been praised for their intricate plotting, poetic language, and imaginative exploration of the boundaries between science and magic. His profound engagement with questions of faith and his willingness to challenge our assumptions about the nature of reality have earned him a devoted readership and a place among the most important authors of contemporary fantasy.

John

John Green is an American author, vlogger, and educator. He was born on August 24, 1977, in Indianapolis, Indiana. He is best known for his young adult novels, including "Looking for Alaska," "An Abundance of Katherines," "Paper Towns," "The Fault in Our Stars," and "Turtles All the Way Down."
Green began his career as a writer in the mid-2000s, publishing his first novel, "Looking for Alaska," in 2005. The book was a commercial and critical success, winning the 2006 Michael L. Printz Award and becoming a New York Times bestseller. This was followed by "An Abundance of Katherines" in 2006 and "Paper Towns" in 2008, both of which were also well-received by critics and readers alike.
In 2012, Green published "The Fault in Our Stars," which became an international bestseller and was adapted into a successful film in 2014. The novel tells the story of two teenagers with cancer, Hazel and Gus, and their blossoming romance. The book received widespread critical acclaim and cemented Green's reputation as a leading voice in young adult literature.
Green's latest novel, "Turtles All the Way Down," was published in 2017. The book deals with themes of mental health and friendship and received positive reviews from critics.
In addition to his writing career, Green is also well-known for his vlogging and educational work. Along with his brother, Hank, he runs the popular YouTube channel "Vlogbrothers," which has over 2.5 million subscribers. He also regularly participates in online educational initiatives such as Crash Course, a series of educational videos on a variety of subjects.
Green is also an advocate for various causes, including mental health awareness and literacy. He is a co-founder of the charity organization "Project for Awesome," which raises money for various charitable causes.
In addition to his writing and vlogging, John Green is also known for his active presence on social media, where he engages with fans and shares his thoughts on various topics. He has a large following on platforms such as Twitter and Instagram, and he is known for his candid and honest approach to discussing mental health, politics, and other issues that are important to him.
Green is also a frequent speaker and panelist at literary events and conventions, where he shares his experiences as an author and offers advice to aspiring writers. He is also a vocal advocate for the importance of reading and has been involved in various literacy initiatives and programs.
Green's work has been translated into many languages and has been popular in many countries worldwide. He has been honored with numerous awards and accolades, including the 2015 Children's Choice Book Award for "The Fault in Our Stars" and the 2014 Edgar Award for Best Young Adult Mystery for "Paper Towns."
Overall, John Green is a versatile and accomplished individual who is known not just for his writing but also for his efforts to make a difference in the world through his charity work, his educational initiatives, and his advocacy for various causes. He is a respected and influential figure in the literary world and continues to inspire and touch the lives of readers and fans around the world.

Jessica Hische is a graphic designer, illustrator, and author based in San Francisco. She is best known for her hand lettering, typography, and illustration work in the design and advertising industry.
Hische began her career as a freelance designer in 2005, working with various clients on various design projects. She quickly gained recognition for her unique and elegant hand lettering style, and her work began to be featured in publications such as Communication Arts, Print, and HOW magazine.
In addition to her design work, Hische is also an accomplished author. She has written several books on design and typography, including "In Progress: See Inside a Lettering Artist's Sketchbook and Process, from Pencil to Vector" and "Tomorrow I'll Be Brave." Both books offer a glimpse into Hische's creative process and provide valuable insights and tips for designers and illustrators.
Hische has also been a guest speaker at several design conferences and events, sharing her knowledge and experience with other designers and creative professionals. She is also known for her "Daily Drop Cap" project, a series of illustrated letters she created and shared daily on her website.
Overall, Jessica Hische is a highly respected and accomplished designer, illustrator, and author, known for her beautiful hand lettering and typography work. Her unique style, attention to detail, and dedication to her craft have earned her a reputation as one of the industry's most talented and influential designers.

Jessica

Cormac McCarthy was born in Rhode Island. He later went to Chicago, where he worked as an auto mechanic while writing his first novel, The Orchard Keeper. The Orchard Keeper was published by Random House in 1965; McCarthy's editor there was Albert Erskine, William Faulkner's long-time editor. Before publication, McCarthy received a traveling fellowship from the American Academy of Arts and Letters, which he used to travel to Ireland.&nbsp;
In 1966 he also received the Rockefeller Foundation Grant, with which he continued to tour Europe, settling on the island of Ibiza. Here, McCarthy completed revisions of his next novel, Outer Dark. In 1967, McCarthy returned to the United States, moving to Tennessee. Outer Dark was published in 1968, and McCarthy received the Guggenheim Fellowship for Creative Writing in 1969.&nbsp;
His next novel, Child of God, was published in 1973. From 1974 to 1975, McCarthy worked on the screenplay for a PBS film called The Gardener's Son, which premiered in 1977. A revised version of the screenplay was later published by Ecco Press. In the late 1970s, McCarthy moved to Texas and, in 1979, published his fourth novel, Suttree, a book that had occupied his writing life on and off for twenty years.&nbsp;
He received a MacArthur Fellowship in 1981 and published his fifth novel, Blood Meridian, in 1985. All the Pretty Horses, the first volume of The Border Trilogy, was published in 1992. It won both the National Book Award and the National Book Critics Circle Award and was later turned into a feature film. The Stonemason, a play that McCarthy had written in the mid-1970s and subsequently revised, was published by Ecco Press in 1994.&nbsp;
Soon thereafter, the second volume of The Border Trilogy, The Crossing, was published, with the third volume, Cities of the Plain, following in 1998. McCarthy's next novel, No Country for Old Men, was published in 2005. This was followed in 2006 by a novel in dramatic form, The Sunset Limited, originally performed by Steppenwolf Theatre Company of Chicago. McCarthy's most recent novel, The Road, was published in 2006 and won the Pulitzer Prize.

Cormac

Stephen King is an American author known for his horror, supernatural fiction, suspense, science fiction, and fantasy novels. He was born in Portland, Maine, in 1947 and began writing at a young age. He published his first novel, "Carrie," in 1974, which was a success and later adapted into a film. He has since published over 60 novels and 200 short stories, many of which have been adapted into movies, television shows, and comic books. Some of his most famous works include "The Shining," "It," "Salem's Lot," "The Stand," and "Misery."&nbsp;
Stephen King began his career as a writer in the early 1970s while working as a teacher. His first short story, "The Glass Floor," was published in 1967. However, his first novel, "Carrie," was not published until 1974. Nevertheless, it was a success and was adapted into a film in 1976. This success encouraged him to continue writing and publishing novels. In the 1970s and 1980s, he published a string of successful horror and supernatural stories, including "Salem's Lot," "The Shining," "The Stand," "Firestarter," "Pet Sematary," "It," and "Misery."
His novels have been adapted into films, television shows, and comic books. Some of the most famous adaptations of his work include the movie "Carrie," "The Shining," "Stand by Me," "Misery," "The Shawshank Redemption," and "It." He also wrote several non-fiction books and short story collections.
In recent years, he has continued to publish novels, including "Doctor Sleep," "Under the Dome," "Joyland" and "Revival." He is considered one of his generation's most successful and famous authors and has sold over 350 million copies of his books worldwide.

Stephen

B.J. Novak is an American actor, writer, director, producer, stand-up comedian, and author. He is best known for his role as Ryan Howard on NBC’s popular sitcom The Office (2005-2013). Novak has established himself as an esteemed multi-hyphenate in the entertainment industry, having written for and appeared on numerous TV shows, and films, and several books.
Novak was born on July 31, 1979, in Newton, Massachusetts. He began his career as a stand-up comedian, performing in clubs and colleges across the country. Novak was a contributor to the popular Comedy Central show, “The Daily Show,” from 2001-2004. He was then cast as a series regular on “The Office” in 2005, where he served as a writer, director, and executive producer. Novak’s role as Ryan Howard on “The Office” earned him an Emmy nomination in 2007.
In addition to his acting career, Novak is also a writer. He wrote the 2011 romantic comedy film, “The Smurfs,” and its 2013 sequel, “The Smurfs 2”. He has also written several children’s books, including “The Book With No Pictures” and “One More Thing: Stories and Other Stories.”
Novak has also produced several films, such as “The Intern” (2015), “The Founder” (2016), “The Big Sick” (2017), and “The Incredible Jessica James” (2017). He has also written for television shows such as “The Mindy Project” (2012-2015) and “Modern Family” (2014-2015).
Novak is an avid philanthropist, having supported numerous charities throughout his career, such as the Alzheimer’s Association, Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, and The Art of Elysium. In 2017, he launched The List App, a social media platform designed to facilitate sharing personal lists.
B.J. Novak is a multi-faceted entertainer whose career has spanned multiple industries. With an array of writing, directing, producing, and acting credits to his name, Novak has become one of the most recognizable figures in the entertainment industry.
Novak is also an accomplished author, having published four books: “One More Thing: Stories and Other Stories” (2014), “The Book with No Pictures” (2014), “Knife’s Edge” (2015), and “Huddle” (2019). His books have received critical acclaim and have appeared on the New York Times bestseller list.
Novak’s success has earned him numerous awards, including the Variety Power of Comedy Award in 2018, a Critics’ Choice Award nomination for Best Actor in a Comedy Series for his role on The Office (2007), and an Emmy Award nomination for Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series (2007). In 2018, Novak was inducted into the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences Hall of Fame for his contributions to television.

B.J.

David Sedaris is an American humorist, essayist, and author. He is best known for his autobiographical works and his sardonic wit. He was born in Johnson City, New York, and raised in Raleigh, North Carolina. He attended Jesse O. Sanderson High School and then went on to study at Kent State University in Ohio.
Sedaris is best known for his sarcastic, observational, and often self-deprecating writing style. His stories are often based on his life experiences, from his childhood to his travels worldwide. He has written several bestselling books, including Naked, Me Talk Pretty One Day, Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim When You Are Engulfed in Flames, and Let's Explore Diabetes with Owls. He is also a frequent contributor to The New Yorker and National Public Radio.
Sedaris has been praised for his unique perspective and ability to bring his stories to life vividly. His work often incorporates elements of dark humor and satire, and he frequently uses irony to make his points. He often includes absurd yet relatable characters in his stories and humorous observations about human behavior. In addition to his writing, he is also known for his live performances, where he reads his stories accompanied by music.
Sedaris has been the recipient of numerous awards and honors, including a Grammy nomination for his audiobook Live at Carnegie Hall. He is also a member of the International Institute of Humor, an organization that promotes the power of humor to bring people together.
In addition to his writing and performances, Sedaris also hosts an annual Christmas show in Raleigh, North Carolina. He also works with a variety of charities, including the American Red Cross and Doctors Without Borders.
David Sedaris is a beloved figure in the world of humor and literature. His writing is a unique blend of wit and insight that has made him a favorite of readers and listeners around the world. He is an inspiration to many for his ability to bring humor to even the darkest of subjects.
Sedaris is also an advocate for the LGBTQ+ community and has spoken publicly about his own experiences. He has a large following of fans who appreciate his openness and willingness to talk about his struggles. He frequently uses his platform to raise awareness about community issues and offer support to those who need it.&nbsp;
Sedaris is also an avid traveler and has visited many countries across the globe. He has written extensively about his experiences and often incorporates his observations into his work. He is also an active philanthropist, supporting a number of charitable organizations, including the ACLU, PEN America, and the National Immigration Law Center.&nbsp;
David Sedaris has made a lasting impact on the world of literature and humor. His work is beloved by millions of people around the world, and his influence continues to be felt today.

David

Ta-Nehisi Coates is a highly acclaimed author, journalist, and educator. He is best known for his writing on race and culture in America. Born in 1975 in Baltimore, Maryland, Coates has become one of the most influential voices in the national race and social justice dialogue. He is a MacArthur Fellow and National Book Award Winner for his nonfiction work, Between the World and Me, released in 2015.
Coates’ writing career began in 2008 with his piece “The Case for Reparations,” published in The Atlantic. This piece brought him widespread attention and propelled him to become one of the most sought-after writers in the United States. Since then, he has written for various publications and magazines such as The New York Times, The Washington Post, and The New Yorker. He has also written several books, including The Beautiful Struggle, We Were Eight Years in Power and The Water Dancer.
In addition to his writing, Coates is an educator. He has taught courses at Virginia State University and the Santa Fe Institute. He also serves as a distinguished writer in residence at Manhattanville College.
Coates’ work has been widely acclaimed and has received numerous awards. He won the National Book Award in 2015 for Between the World and Me and has been a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize and National Magazine Award. His work has also been featured in several films, television shows, and documentaries.
Coates is known for his honest and holistic approach to discussing race and inequality in America. He is an advocate for reparations for African Americans and has used his writing to call attention to the systemic racism and injustice in the United States. His work has been praised for its insight and careful consideration of history and personal experience to explore the state
In addition to his writing, Coates advocates for social justice and activism. He has spoken out against police brutality, mass incarceration, and other systemic racism. He is a vocal supporter of the Black Lives Matter movement and has made numerous appearances at rallies, protests, and other events supporting the cause.
Coates is also an active member of the literary community. He was a judge for the National Book Awards in 2018 and 2019. In addition, he is a contributing editor to The Atlantic and is a member of the literary nonprofit PEN America.
Coates’ influence continues to be felt in the literary and social justice worlds. His work has shaped public discourse around race, inequality, and justice. He has become a powerful voice in the fight for the rights of African Americans and other marginalized communities. He continues to use his writing to inspire and empower people to stand up for what is right.

Ta-Nehisi

Frank Herbert (1920-1986) created the most beloved novel in the annals of science fiction, Dune. He was a man of many facets, of countless passageways that ran through an intricate mind. His magnum opus is a reflection of this, a classic work that stands as one of the most complex, multi-layered novels ever written in any genre. Today the novel is more popular than ever, with new readers continually discovering it and telling their friends to pick up a copy. It has been translated into dozens of languages and has sold almost 20 million copies.
As a child growing up in Washington State, Frank Herbert was curious about everything. He carried around a Boy Scout pack with books in it, and he was always reading. He loved Rover Boys' adventures, as well as the stories of H.G. Wells, Jules Verne, and the science fiction of Edgar Rice Burroughs. On his eighth birthday, Frank stood on top of the breakfast table at his family home and announced, "I wanna be an author." His maternal grandfather, John McCarthy, said of the boy, "It's frightening. A kid that small shouldn't be so smart." Young Frank was not unlike Alia in Dune, a person having adult comprehension of a child's body. In grade school, he was the acknowledged authority on everything. If his classmates wanted to know the answer to something, such as about sexual functions or how to make a carbide cannon, they would invariably say, "Let's ask Herbert. He'll know."

Frank

Orson Scott Card is the author of the novels Ender's Game, Ender's Shadow, and Speaker for the Dead, which is widely read by adults and younger readers, and are increasingly used in schools. His most recent series, the young adult Pathfinder series (Pathfinder, Ruins, Visitors), and the fantasy Mithermages series (Lost Gate, Gate Thief, Gatefather), are taking readers in new directions.
Besides these and other science fiction novels, Card writes contemporary fantasy (Magic Street, Enchantment, Lost Boys), biblical novels (Stone Tables, Rachel, and Leah), the American frontier fantasy series The Tales of Alvin Maker (beginning with Seventh Son), poetry (An Open Book), and many plays and scripts, including his "freshened" Shakespeare scripts for Romeo &amp; Juliet, The Taming of the Shrew, and The Merchant of Venice.
Card was born in Washington and grew up in California, Arizona, and Utah. He served a mission for the LDS Church in Brazil in the early 1970s. Besides his writing, he teaches occasional classes and workshops and directs plays. He frequently teaches writing and literature courses at Southern Virginia University.
Card currently lives in Greensboro, North Carolina, with his wife, Kristine Allen Card. His primary activities are writing a review column for the local Rhinoceros Times and feeding birds, squirrels, chipmunks, possums, and raccoons on the patio.

Orson

Ursula

From the author of Floating in My Mother’s Palm and Children and Fire, a magnificent story about ordinary people living in extraordinary times—a book that introduced the work of an exceptional writer to readers everywhere.  Trudi Montag is a dwarf—short, unpopular, different, the voice of anyone who has ever tried to fit in.  Eventually, she learns that being different is a secret that all humans share—from her mother who flees into madness, to her friend Georg whose parents pretend he’s a girl, to the Jews Trudi harbors in her cellar.  Ursula Hegi brings us a timeless story about small-town life and family ties, weaving together a profound tapestry of emotional power and humanity—and writing at its most daring and magnificent. 

Oprah Winfrey is a media mogul, philanthropist, and one of the most influential women in the world. Born in Mississippi in 1954, Winfrey had a difficult childhood marked by poverty and abuse. Yet, despite these challenges, she developed a love of reading and storytelling at an early age, and by the time she was in high school, she was already a skilled public speaker.
After high school, Winfrey attended Tennessee State University and began her career in media as a radio and television host. In 1976, she was hired as the first African American female anchor for the evening news at WTVF-TV in Nashville, Tennessee. From there, she hosted a local talk show in Baltimore, Maryland, called "People Are Talking."
In 1983, Winfrey landed her own nationally syndicated talk show, "The Oprah Winfrey Show," which ran for 25 years and became the highest-rated talk show in the history of American television. Through the show, Winfrey built a massive following and became one of the most popular and influential figures in the United States. She interviewed many guests, from celebrities and politicians to everyday people, with inspiring stories.
In addition to her talk show, Winfrey has also built a successful career as an actress, producer, and entrepreneur. She has appeared in films like "The Color Purple" and "Lee Daniels' The Butler," and has produced hit shows such as "Dr. Phil" and "The Ellen DeGeneres Show." She also runs her own media production company, Harpo Productions, and owns the Oprah Winfrey Network (OWN) cable network.
Winfrey is also known for her philanthropic work and has used her wealth and platform to support various causes, including education, women's rights, and poverty relief. In 1986, she established the Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls in South Africa, which provides education and leadership training to underprivileged young women. She also founded the Oprah Winfrey Foundation, which supports organizations that empower women and children.
Throughout her career, Winfrey has been recognized for her media, entertainment, and philanthropy contributions. She has won numerous awards, including the Presidential Medal of Freedom, and is considered one of the most powerful and influential figures in the United States.

Oprah

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In Stones from the River, Ursula Hegi shows us the power of resilience through the character of Trudi Montag. Despite her physical differences and the challenges she faces, Trudi's spirit remains unbroken. This book encourages us to find strength in our own unique qualities and to overcome adversity.

The Power of Resilience

Hegi's book explores the importance of community in shaping our lives. Trudi's life is deeply intertwined with the people of her town, and their stories become her own. This book reminds us to appreciate the communities we are part of and to understand their influence on our lives.

The Importance of Community

Stones from the River gives us a unique perspective on World War II, as seen through the eyes of a small German town. Hegi encourages us to research and understand history, not just from the big events, but also from the everyday lives of ordinary people.

Understanding History

Ursula Hegi's characters are complex and flawed, just like real people. She invites us to look into their lives, understand their motivations, and see the world from their perspective. This book encourages us to explore the complexity of human nature and to be more empathetic.

The Complexity of Human Nature

In the book, Trudi becomes the town's unofficial historian, collecting stories from her community. Hegi shows us the power of storytelling in preserving history, understanding others, and finding our place in the world. This book inspires us to dig into our own stories and those of the people around us.

The Role of Storytelling

Stones from the River

A bi-cultural writer, Ursula Hegi didn’t plan to set nearly half of her novels in Germany and the other half in the Americas—but that's how the pages have opened for her, reflecting what it is like to be an immigrant. Her work has been translated into many languages. Ursula has published 12 books. Her Burgdorf Cycle includes 4 of her novels: Stones from the River, Floating in My Mother’s Palm, The Vision of Emma Blau, and Children and Fire.&nbsp;
&nbsp;Her awards include the Italian Grinzane Cavour, an NEA Fellowship, and a PEN/Faulkner Award. She teaches in the MFA Program at Stony Brook Southampton. She has taught at Barnard College, the University of California at Irvine, and Bread Loaf. She has also served as a juror for the National Book Awards and the National Book Critics Circle.

Ursula Hegi

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Stones from the River

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Stones from the River

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