Edgar Lee Masters was an American poet, novelist, and dramatist. He is best known for his Spoon River Anthology, a collection of short free verse poems that collectively narrates the epitaphs of the residents of the fictional town of Spoon River. Masters was born in 1868 and died in 1950. He was a prolific writer and published several volumes of poetry, novels, and plays. He was also a lawyer and a journalist. His work has been widely praised and he is considered one of the most important figures in American literature.