Who Is The Greatest American Writer?

Comments: 7

William M. Jan 28, 2013, 1:16pm UTC

There are too many great writers in too many fields for me to pick.

Rebecca P. Jan 28, 2013, 5:22pm UTC

I agree William. I couldn't pick one, let alone 5 even

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Magi the magical poet is flowing with the wind Jan 28, 2013, 2:42pm UTC

The phrasing of the question is too vague. Does America really mean the U.S.A.? Surely Canadian writers are Americans, as are writers living in South America and Central America. In short, the poll outcome is meaningless.

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Leigh Ramsey Jan 28, 2013, 4:48pm UTC

Thanks for the tip, Debbie. I've shared this on Facebook. Like Magi above, I think PW is sadly remiss in not including all the Americas. I guess they're also leaving the "greatest" aspect up to the chooser (wish they'd let us list our criteria). Such a tough choice, and I haven't read them all, though I plan to! I'd love to choose the brilliant Southern writer Flannery O'Connor--I haven't read all the other women, including not enough of Toni Morrison to decide and no Didion or Cather--but I don't know that O'Connor's output as a master of the short-story form is enough of a pull for me, exquisite as her work is. Kind of leaning toward Twain or Faulkner ... alas, another white guy. Sigh.

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