Here is a list of famous authors who were born in Missouri:
Notes: Not only was Mark Twain born in Missouri, but he also wrote two novels set in Missouri that have become classics. The Mark Twain Boyhood Home & Museum in Hannibal, Missouri draws fans from around the globe, offering a glimpse into the environments that shaped his classic works.
Notes: T.S. Eliot is regarded as one of the major poets of the 20th century, known for his modernist and complex poetic style, exploring themes of disillusionment and existential angst.
Notes: Maya Angelou was an American poet, memoirist, and civil rights activist. Celebrated for her expressive prose, her seminal work “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings” profoundly impacted literature and social consciousness.
Notes: William S. Burroughs, a key figure of the Beat Generation, was a provocative writer best known for “Naked Lunch.” His works blend dark satire, dystopian visions, and candid discussions of addiction and social critique.
Notes: Langston Hughes was a leader of the Harlem Renaissance, an American poet, playwright, and social activist celebrated for his eloquent commentary on race, politics, and culture through his evocative works.
Notes: Dale Carnegie is famed for his influential self-help guides that have empowered individuals worldwide with strategies for personal and professional success.
Notes: Marilyn vos Savant is renowned for her record-breaking IQ and her long-standing column in Parade magazine, where she solves puzzles and answers reader questions on a variety of complex topics.
Notes: Gillian Flynn is an American author celebrated for her thrilling edge-of-your-seat novels. Best known for “Gone Girl,” her work often features complex characters and gripping psychological twists that captivate readers worldwide.
Notes: The daughter of the 33rd U.S. President, Harry S. Truman, Margaret Truman wrote well-received murder mysteries set in the corridors of Washington D.C.
Notes: Jim Butcher is a best-selling author renowned for his engaging urban fantasy series “The Dresden Files,” featuring wizard detective Harry Dresden, as well as the epic “Codex Alera” saga. His work captivates readers with intricate magic, dynamic characters, and gripping plots.
Notes: Jake Adelstein is an American journalist renowned for his investigative work on the Japanese underworld. Based in Tokyo, his reporting often exposes the dark interplay of crime, culture, and corruption in Japan.
Notes: A forerunner in feminist literature, Kate Chopin’s writing often focused on women’s lives and their struggle for identity and autonomy at the turn of the 20th century.
Notes: Leslie Feinberg was an American author and activist renowned for their influential work on transgender rights. Best known for the novel “Stone Butch Blues,” Feinberg’s writing poignantly explored complex issues of gender and identity.
Notes: Francesca Simon is a prolific writer best known for her “Horrid Henry” series. Her books, rich in humor and wit, have captured the imaginations of children worldwide, making her a household name in children’s literature.
Notes: Josephine Johnson, born in 1910, was a Pulitzer Prize-winning author renowned for her powerful 1934 debut novel, “Now in November.” Her evocative prose explored themes of nature, family, and hardship with a lyrical intensity.
Notes: Edward Tufte is a renowned statistician and artist, celebrated for his exquisite work on data visualization. His influential books, including “The Visual Display of Quantitative Information,” have become seminal texts in the field of information design.
Notes: C. J. Cherryh is an acclaimed American writer with a vast oeuvre spanning science fiction and fantasy genres. Renowned for her complex worlds and in-depth character development, she’s a multiple Hugo Award winner.
Notes: Gerald Horne is a prolific historian and author known for his incisive examinations of race, labor, and social injustice in American and international history. His works often challenge traditional narratives, offering a transformative perspective on historical events.
Notes: Margaret Weis is a renowned fantasy novelist best known for co-authoring the Dragonlance series. Her contributions have notably shaped the genre with enduring characters and intricate, imaginative worlds.
Notes: Stephen Hunter is known for his action-packed thrillers, most notably those featuring sniper Bob Lee Swagger, which have captivated readers with their precision and pace.
Notes: Naomi Shihab Nye is a poet, songwriter, and novelist whose rich Arab-American heritage informs much of her work. Celebrated for her poignant verse, she addresses diverse themes with both grace and empathy.
Notes: Rupert Hughes was a prolific American novelist, film director, and composer, whose repertoire spanned from historical fiction to Hollywood screenplays. Celebrated for his versatile storytelling, he also contributed to the music industry with his notable compositions.
Notes: Marianne Moore was a Modernist poet known for her formally structured verse and precise language, who won the Pulitzer Prize and National Book Award for her work.
Notes: Claude Fredericks was an esteemed playwright, diarist, and educator. His prolific, intimate journals chronicle personal encounters with literary figures, complementing his diverse body of dramatic works. A revered teacher, he influenced many at Bennington College.
Notes: Sara Teasdale was an American lyric poet who captured the complexities of love and beauty in her work. Renowned for her 1917 Pulitzer Prize-winning collection “Love Songs,” her poetry resonates with emotional clarity and simplicity.
Notes: Chester Himes was an African American writer known for his series of detective novels featuring Harlem detectives Coffin Ed Johnson and Grave Digger Jones.