Time has released this year’s list of “100 Most Influential People.”
A number of writers have been included in this illustrious group such as Hamilton: The Revolution co-author Lin-Manuel Miranda, National Book Award winner Ta-Nehisi Coates, Italian novelist Elena Ferrante, and Pulitzer Prize winner Marilynne Robinson. Coates actually makes two appearances because he contributed a short piece honoring filmmaker Ryan Coogler. Which writers would you have selected for this list?
Here’s an excerpt from Star Wars: The Force Awakens director J.J. Abrams’ piece in praise of Miranda: “Lin-Manuel Miranda conceived, wrote and stars in this breakthrough masterpiece, cementing his place as one of the most miraculous creative minds of our time. Like Alexander Hamilton, Miranda is a powerful reminder that greatness comes from unlikely places. His Puerto Rican parents’ collection of Broadway-musical records was as strong an influence during his New York City upbringing as the hip-hop he would come to love. There is no recipe for genius, but one can see the disparate elements that Miranda has miraculously seized and synthesized, embraced and celebrated, to create something profoundly moving and wholly original.”