1809-49



American poet, editor and writer, born in Boston, but educated in Britain. He served in the US army for two years, then moved around several cities, eventually settling in New York. He wrote much poetry but made his reputation as a master of macabre stories, such as 'The Fall of the House of Usher' and 'Murders in the Rue Morgue'.

Edgar Allan Poe is considered to be the father of the detective story and a stepfather of science fiction.

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Biography

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Steinbeck, John

1902-1968



American writer, born in Salinas, California. He worked as a reporter until his novel 'Tortilla Flat' (1935) gained him a reputation as a novelist.

In 1937 John Steinbeck joined Oklahoma migrants who were travelling to California. This experience was the basis for his most famous novel 'The Grapes of Wrath' which revealed his intimate knowledge of the land and the people. He scornfully exposed the exploitation of the weak by powerful commercial interests.
He also wrote the popular novel 'East of Eden' in 1952.

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Twain, Mark

1835-1910


American writer, journalist, and lecturer, born in Florida, MO. Samuel Langhorne Clemens (his real name) worked for a time as a Mississippi river-boat pilot, an experience which was the basis for his two most popular works 'The Adventures of Tom Sawyer' (1876) and 'The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn' (1884). He also wrote about his travels in Europe 'The Innocents Abroad' and became famous for his humorous lecturing.

Some of Twain's books became established among the world's classics and when he died he was mourned as the most popular American writer of the last century.

Quotes :
'The radical of one century is the conservative of the next. The radical invents the views. When he has worn them out the conservative adopts them.' (Notebook, 1898)
'History does not repeat itself,
but it surly rhymes.'

Biography