and lecturer Pietro Di Donato - writer Janine di Giovanni- author, journalist and war correspondent John Fante - novelist and screenwriter Lawrence Ferlinghetti - poet, essayist and painter David Franzoni - screenwriter of Gladiator and King Arthur John Fusco - novelist (Paradise Salvage) and screenwriter of Young Guns, Hidalgo, Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron Paul Gallico - Italian father Daniela Gioseffi (born 1941) - poet, novelist, literary critic, essayist, performer, social justice activist Arturo Giovannitti - poet, political activist Barbara Grizzuti Harrison (1934–2002) - writer Evan Hunter - aka Ed MacBain, born Salvatore Lombino Philip Lamantia Teresa de Lauretis Luis Marden - born Annibale Luis Paragallo, writer for National Geographic Fulvio Melia - author of several popular science books, including The Black Hole at the Center of Our Galaxy Charles Messina - writer/director of the play Mercury: The Afterlife and Times of a Rock God, the film Merging, and co-author the book My Father, My Don Henry Samuel Morais - writer, rabbi Diana Ossana - Academy Award-winning screenwriter Camille Paglia - post-feminist literary and cultural critic Christopher Paolini Michael Parenti P.M. Pasinetti - novelist, playwright, journalist, professor Mario Pei Tom Perrotta - novelist and screenwriter best known for the novels Election (1998) and Little Children (2004) Joseph D. Pistone Diane di Prima - poet of the Beat generation Mario Puzo (1920–1999) - writer/screenwriter and best-selling author of The Godfather Terry Rossio - screenwriter Shane Salerno - screenwriter R.A. Salvatore (born 1959) - born Robert Anthony Salvatore, science fiction and fantasy author, best known for his Forgotten Realms and Star Wars novels Leslie Scalapino - poet Piero Scaruffi - poet, historian, scientist Dom (Domenico) Serafini - TV trade magazine editor Michelangelo Signorile - journalist, columnist, talk radio host and gay activist Michael Smerconish - radio host and television presenter, newspaper columnist, author, and lawyer Gay Talese Adriana Trigiani Jessica Valenti - blogger and feminist writer Mark Valenti - screenwriter Tom Verducci - sportswriter Luisa Weiss - food writer Rebecca Zanetti - bestselling author of paranormal romance, contemporary romance, and romantic suspense Italian Americans who were first in their field of achievement Giuseppe Mario Bellanca - designer of the first monoplane in the United States with an enclosed cabin Frank Borzage - first person to win the Academy Award for Directing, for Seventh Heaven (1927) Enea Bossi - designer of the first stainless steel aircraft and designer of the disputed first fully