Custom post type for authors
Novelist (1940-present)
Nobel Prize-winning poet and essayist (1888-1965)
Cartoonist and “Calvin and Hobbes” creator (1958-present)
“Calvin and Hobbes” is among the most beloved comic strips of all time, and its creator, Bill Watterson, is one of the most respected cartoonists. Born in 1958 in Washington, D.C., and raised in Chagrin Falls, Ohio, Watterson developed a love for drawing early on, and cites “Peanuts” creator Charles...
“Calvin and Hobbes” is among the most beloved comic strips of all time, and its creator, Bill Watterson, is one of the most respected cartoonists. Born in 1958 in Washington, D.C., and raised in Chagrin Falls, Ohio, Watterson developed a love for drawing early on, and cites “Peanuts” creator Charles Schulz as a major influence. After studying at Kenyon College, Watterson worked briefly as a political cartoonist and spent time designing ads for grocery stores and car dealerships while working on comic ideas — all the while weathering rejection after rejection. In 1985, when Watterson was 27 years old, his big break came: “Calvin and Hobbes” gained a national audience in newspapers around the U.S.
The comic strip about a mischievous 6-year-old and his anthropomorphic stuffed tiger quickly captivated readers. But the comic’s witty and philosophical reflections on life only lasted a decade: Watterson ended the strip in 1995. This was a time when other comics, such as “Garfield,” were raking in massive merchandising profits, but despite receiving lucrative licensing offers for his own strip, Watterson rejected every one of them. His refusal not only reinforced his commitment to his work, but made him an enigmatic figure in the comic world. After retiring the comic strip, Watterson remained largely out of the public eye until reemerging with a new book, The Mysteries, in 2023.
Persian lyric poet (c. 1325-c. 1390)
Inventor (1847-1931)
Thomas Edison is often considered America’s greatest inventor. Born in 1847 in Milan, Ohio, and raised in Port Huron, Michigan, Edison was entrepreneurial from a young age. At 12, he started publishing and selling his own newspaper; soon, he was conducting science experiments in makeshift laboratories. He became a prolific...
Thomas Edison is often considered America’s greatest inventor. Born in 1847 in Milan, Ohio, and raised in Port Huron, Michigan, Edison was entrepreneurial from a young age. At 12, he started publishing and selling his own newspaper; soon, he was conducting science experiments in makeshift laboratories. He became a prolific inventor despite his hearing impairments and having little formal education — his mother, a former teacher, homeschooled him, and Edison later credited her with his success.
Edison held more than 1,000 patents in his lifetime, for groundbreaking inventions including the phonograph, an early movie camera, and the first commercially viable incandescent lightbulb. While he is hailed for his ingenuity, Edison isn’t without criticism: His aggressive business practices have come under scrutiny, as have his competitive rivalries, notably with fellow inventor Nikola Tesla. Yet he remains one of the most famous and prolific thinkers in American history, and one whose work ultimately shaped the modern industrialized world. Edison died in 1931 at the age of 84.
