41.   University of Tennessee writer-in-residence Brian Griffin said Agee has a unique position as a literary figure because he crosses genres.

42.   Hafez and Saadi, among the most revered literary figures in the Islamic republic, lived and died in Shiraz about six centuries ago.

43.   Darwish, the leading Palestinian literary figure, could arrive this month, he added.

44.   The jury, which in past years has generally been made up of Russian literary figures, was this year joined by Italian Slavonic studies specialist, Vittorio Strada.