Edna Ferber was a giant novelist of the early 20th century. She wrote many novels, plays, and short stories that were widely read and popular. Her works often focused on the lives of women in the Midwest and South, and she was known for her strong female characters. Ferber won the Pulitzer Prize for her novel So Big in 1924. She was also nominated for an Academy Award for her screenplay adaptation of Show Boat. Ferber's works remain popular today and are considered classics of American literature.