Gero von Wilpert's Author Encyclopedia of World Literature has earned a reputation as a unique standard work. The 4th edition, featuring around 3000 entries, including approximately 350 newly added authors, extends far beyond the names represented elsewhere. Readers will also find lesser-known yet notable poets and writers who contribute characteristic nuances to the richly orchestrated polyphony of world literature. For this new edition, all articles have been reviewed, updated, and revised. The articles provide a concise, precisely oriented presentation that includes a keyword-based biography, a description, literary classification, and evaluation of the works. The bibliographic appendix lists the author's major works, followed by references to standard monographs and comprehensive presentations of secondary literature, as well as bibliographies.