ntial writers inevitably begins in ancient Greece with Homer. The poet's epic works the Iliad and the Odyssey shaped Greek culture and are still enjoyed today. Homer's fellow writers featured in this book wrote in Greek, Roman, Persian, Arabic, Chinese, Japanese, Italian, French, and English. The English poet Edmund Spenser, whose romantic poetry ushered in the English literary Renaissance, brings the volume to a close. Detailed biographies of Homer, Spenser, and others give readers an introduction to early writers and their place in history. Budding writers are certain to be inspired.