American male essayists

Edgar Allan Poe was an American writer, poet, editor, and literary critic who is best known for his poetry and short stories, particularly his tales involving mystery and the macabre. He is widely regarded as one of the central figures of Romanticism and Gothic fiction in the United States and of early American literature. Poe was one of the country's first successful practitioners of the short story, and is generally considered to be one of the pioneers of the detective fiction genre. In addition, he is credited with contributing significantly to the emergence of science fiction. He is the first well-known American writer to earn a living exclusively through writing, which resulted in a financially difficult life and career.

American author and journalist (1899–1961)

Avram Noam Chomsky is an American intellectual, philosopher, linguist, political activist, and social critic. Sometimes called "the father of modern linguistics", Chomsky is also a major figure in analytic philosophy and one of the founders of the field of cognitive science. He is a laureate professor of linguistics at the University of Arizona and an institute professor emeritus at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). Among the most cited living authors, Chomsky has written more than 150 books on topics such as linguistics, war, and politics. In addition to his work in linguistics, since the 1960s, Chomsky has been an influential voice on the American Left as a consistent critic of the foreign policy of the United States, contemporary capitalism, and corporatocracy.

American writer and biochemist (1920–1992)

US-British poet (1888–1965)

American poet, essayist and journalist (1819–1892)

Stephen Edwin King is an American author. Dubbed the "King of Horror", he is widely known for his horror fiction and has also explored other genres, among them suspense, crime, science-fiction, fantasy, and mystery. He has written approximately 200 short stories, most of which have been published in collections.

American essayist, poet, and philosopher (1817–1862)

American writer and poet (1819–1891)

Indian-born British-American novelist (born 1947)

Russian-American poet (1940-1996)

American author and screenwriter (1920–2012)

American author (1922–2007)

American writer and editor (1890–1937)

American playwright and essayist (1915–2005)

American poet and critic (1885–1972)

American writer, historian and diplomat (1783-1859)

German-American writer (1920–1994)

Anthony Michael Bourdain was an American celebrity chef, author and travel documentarian. He starred in programs focusing on the exploration of international culture, cuisine, and the human condition.

American science fiction author (1928–1982)

British-American poet (1907–1973)

American novelist (1891–1980)

American novelist, poet (1932–2009)

American economist (born 1953)

American writer (1923–2007)

Spanish-American philosopher

American political philosopher (1921–2002)

American writer (1925–2012)

English American author and journalist (1949–2011)

American political scientist, political economist, and author

American writer (1924–1987)

American novelist (born 1937)

American novelist, poet, essayist, screenwriter (1947-2024)

American novelist and journalist (1871–1945)

American avant-garde composer (1912-1992)

American novelist, playwright, and screenwriter (1933–2023)

American journalist and author (1937–2005)

American mathematician and information theorist (1916–2001)

American novelist (1935–2001)

German philosopher and logician (1891–1970)

American-Canadian speculative fiction writer (born 1948)

American historian, philosopher and writer (1885–1981)

American poet and physician (1809–1894)

Scottish-American naturalist (1838–1914)

American fiction writer (1926–2013)

American economist (1926–1995)

American fiction writer and essayist (1962–2008)

American novelist, playwright and essayist (born 1936)

Polish-American logician (1901-1983)

American lawyer, orator, and politician (1833-1899)

American philosopher

American author and journalist (1930–2018)

American novelist, literary critic, scholar and writer (1914-1994)

American novelist, short story writer, travel writer, essayist (1903–1987)

Indian-American journalist and author

American writer

American actor, comedian and filmmaker

American author (1899–1985)

American poet, critic, editor, and diplomat (1819-1891)

American writer (1928–2020)