Follow Business Insider: You've seen Google's annual lists of trendy search terms, featuring things like  robin williams, world cup, and ebola , but those show only the most unusually popular terms, not the most popular terms overall.
Murasaki Shikibu is the best known writer to emerge from Japan's glorious Heian period. Her novel, The Tale of Genji (Genji-monogatari) is considered to be one of the world's finest and earliest novels. Some argue that Murasaki is the world's first modern novelist.
Toni Morrison is Currently #2 in Voting for Favorite Author of the 21st Century Toni Morrison was Voted the #1 Favorite Author of the 20th Century Morrison is also a Favorite Author for the 21 st Century (Now collecting votes for new list) Toni Morrison born 1931 in Lorain, Ohio, is perhaps the most celebrated contemporary American novelist.