Italo Calvino was an Italian author best known for his Cosmicomics collection of short stories, which were published in 1965. Edgar Allan Poe was an American author and poet who wrote a number of stories and poems that explored the darker side of human nature. James AGEE was an American novelist, poet, screenwriter, and journalist who wrote the novel A Death in the Family. His works often focused on themes of death, loss, and redemption. Finally, Jules Verne was a French author who wrote science fiction novels such as Journey to the Center of the Earth and Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea. All four authors have been credited with writing works that have had a lasting impact on literature.