Hi, This was funny - to me!? I'm on a different list and belong to a society of people who are all excited bec Harper Collins has reissued part of a series of books that we are passionately involved with...(and, if any of you have middle-school or high-school aged girls, who are readers, we have a contest going on right now--I was sent copies of one of the new re-issues which are to be given to someone who might like them...let me know and I'll send it to you! All I ask is that you let me know if she likes it as I'm to post my 'story' of the introduction to BookClubGirl's blog and state whether I'm a Philo or a Zet (I'm a Philo--it's in the book...) So, for me--the most influential author would be one most of you would not have heard about--but for which there was another convention in honor of this past summer!! Thus, in thinking that this is that really the clearest definition of 'most influential', I wonder - is what is 'most influential' for one be what is most influential for so many?? What scientific survey has been done using a great cross-section of samples? Best, Marlena in Missouri (ready to mail some new-from-the-publisher reissues of titles from her favorite author) > Donal: Most influential = something I like a lot that lots of other people > have read or at least heard of.