Margaret AtwoodDarren Calabrese/The Canadian Press
Margaret Atwood is an award winning poet, children's author, fiction and non-fiction writer, essayist and literary critic. Her work has been published in over 40 languages, taking her distinct brand as a Canadian literary icon to an international readership.
Ms. Atwood is a Booker Prize winner and has twice received the Governor General's Award.
Nominator: Tracey Cox, Aurora, Ont.