The most famous author from every state
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First, we looked coast to coast to find the most famous book set in every state. Now we're hitting the books to discover the most famous author from every state.
Not all the choices were cut and dry. To qualify for this list, the famed authors had to be born in their respective states, but not necessarily live out their years there.
We considered the authors' fame in terms of ubiquity, acclaim, and financial success — and awarded bonus points if the author showed state pride by setting their works there.
Melissa Stanger contributed reporting on a previous version of this post.
ALABAMA: Harper Lee
The GuardianKnown for: "To Kill a Mockingbird"
Harper Lee was born and raised in Monroeville, the inspiration for the fictional town of Maycomb in her classic novel. The Monroe County Courthouse, where Lee watched her father practice law as a child, currently operates as a museum.
The University of Alabama alumna lived in Monroeville, just a short drive from the Mockingbird Grill and Radley's Fountain Grille, until her death in 2016.
ALASKA: Sidney Huntington
YouTubeKnown for: "Shadows on the Koyukuk: An Alaskan Native's Life Along the River"
Alaskan elder Sidney Huntington recounts his adventures, tragedies, and ultimate success in this dramatic autobiography, co-written with Jim Rearden.
Huntington's greatest contribution to his home state was his 20 years of service on the Board of Games, a government department whose mission is to conserve and develop Alaska's wildlife resources.
ARIZONA: Jeannette Walls
Twitter/@JeannetteWall13Known for: "The Glass Castle"
In her memoir, Jeannette Walls examines her struggles in her youth to overcome poverty and become self-sufficient. Her family moved like nomads across the Southwest, but the first place she remembers living is a small trailer park in Arizona.
A veteran of "writing what she knows," Walls also published a biography of her grandmother, an iron-willed Arizona cattle rancher, titled "Half Broke Horses."
Buy her most popular book »
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