Mark Twain psuedonym of Samuel Langhorne Clemens 1835 1910 American writer and humorist From the book The Masterpiece Library of Short Stories American Volume 15

John Ruskin 1819 1900 English writer art critic and reformer From the book The International Library of Famous Literature Published in London 1900 Volume I

Francis Bret Harte 1836 1902 American short story writer From the book The Masterpiece Library of Short Stories American Volume 15

Ruskins home Brantwood in the Lake District England John Ruskin 1819 1900 English writer art critic and reformer From the book The International Library of Famous Literature Published in London 1900 Volume I

GOETHE JOHANN WOLFGANG VON FRANKFURT DEL MAIN 1749-WEINAR 1832 German writer poet and researcher He wrote FAUSTO in 1773-1775 Engraving

Jose Maria De Eca De Queiros 1845 1900 Portuguese writer From the book The Masterpiece Library of Short Stories Spanish and Portugeuse Volume 18

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle 1859 1930 British writer and doctor From the book The International Library of Famous Literature Published in London 1900 Volume VIII

William Cullen Bryant 1794 1878 American poet writer and for 50 years editor of the New York Evening Post From painting by Alonzo Chappel

Pedro Antonio De Alarcon 1833 1891 Spanish writer and politician From the book The Masterpiece Library of Short Stories Spanish and Portugeuse Volume 18

Gustaf af Geijerstam 1858 1909 Swedish writer From the book The Masterpiece Library of Short Stories Scandinavian and Dutch Volume 19

Roger Williams sheltered by the Narragansetts Roger Williams c1603 1683 English essayist clergyman pamphleteeer and religious writer Founder of the colony of Rhode Island From a 19th century print engraved by J C Armytage after A H Wray

Miguel Saavedra de Cervantes 1547 1616 Spanish writer From the book The Masterpiece Library of Short Stories Spanish and Portugeuse Volume 18

William Butler Yeats 1865 1939 Irish poet dramatist and prose writer From the book The Masterpiece Library of Short Stories Irish and Overseas Volume 11

Henry James in his study 1843 1916 American writer From the book The International Library of Famous Literature Published in London 1900 Volume XVIII

Ernst Theodor Amadeus Hoffman 1776 1822 German writer and composer From the book The Masterpiece Library of Short Stories Old German Volume 17

Richard Harding Davis 1864 1916 American writer and journalist From the book The Masterpiece Library of Short Stories American Volume 16

Voltaires home at Ferney Switzerland Voltaire penname of Franois Marie Arouet 1694 1778 French writer and philosopher From the book The International Library of Famous Literature Published in London 1900 Volume VIII

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle 1859 1930 British writer and doctor From the book The International Library of Famous Literature Published in London 1900 Volume VIII

W W Jacobs William Wymark Jacobs 1863 1943 English short story writer and humorist From the book The Masterpiece Library of Short Stories English Volume 9

Eden Phillpotts 1862 1960 English science fiction writer From the book The Masterpiece Library of Short Stories English Volume 9

Honore de Balzac 1799 1850 French writer From the book The International Library of Famous Literature Published in London 1900 Volume XIII

Antonio De Trueba 1821 1888 Spanish writer From the book The Masterpiece Library of Short Stories Spanish and Portugeuse Volume 18

Harriet Beecher Stowe 1811 1896 American writer and abolitionist From the book The Masterpiece Library of Short Stories American Volume 14

Voltaire penname of Franois Marie Arouet 1694 1778 French writer and philosopher From the book The Masterpiece Library of Short Stories volume 3 French

Anton Chekhov (1860-1904) Russian writer, left, with Leo Tolstoy (1828-1910) Russian writer, philosopher and mystic. Photograph

Interior of house built in 12th century, restaurant where writer Balzac used to be customer. Sache. Touraine, Val-de-Loire. France

Bjornstjerne Bjornson 1832 1910 Norwegian writer and political leader Nobel for literature 1903 From the book The Masterpiece Library of Short Stories Scandinavian and Dutch Volume 19

George Dyer 1755 1841 aged 40 English political pamphleteer poet scholar editor classicist and writer From a portrait by J Cristal From the book The Life of Charles Lamb Volume I by E V Lucas published 1905

Leo Tolstoy, (1828-1910), Russian writer, philosopher and mystic, telling his grandchildren a story. Photograph. British Museum

Jose Valentine Fialho D Almeida 1857 1911 Portuguese writer From the book The Masterpiece Library of Short Stories Spanish and Portugeuse Volume 18