Being one of the world's best-selling authors comes easily to Atwood, thanks to the years of astonishing writing behind her. Born in Ontario, she has long balanced the roles of novelist, poet and literary critic, effortlessly. For a taste of her writing, try the utopian The Handmaid's Tale (1983) or the Booker Prize-winning The Blind Assassin. That she still has a lot to say is evident from her latest work, Oryx and Crake.

SAUL BELLOW

You know an award is huge when there is more than one winner of the Nobel Prize on the list of contenders. Born in Quebec, this North American Jewish writer won that accolade in 1976. Sadly, the world lost Bellow just two months ago. He is known primarily for his novel The Adventures of Augie March (1953). What you get with Bellow is not just superb writing, but a great deal of philosophy, artfully weaved in.

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Also See: Living History