diff --git a/lib/atom.rb b/lib/atom.rb
index <HASH>..<HASH> 100644
--- a/lib/atom.rb
+++ b/lib/atom.rb
@@ -347,6 +347,7 @@ module Atom # :nodoc:
     element :title, :subtitle, :class => Content
     element :updated, :published, :class => Time, :content_only => true
     elements :links, :entries
+    elements :authors, :contributors, :class => Person
     
     # Initialize a Feed.
     #
@@ -359,7 +360,7 @@ module Atom # :nodoc:
     # +o+:: An XML Reader or a Hash of attributes.
     #
     def initialize(o = {})
-      @links, @entries = Links.new, []
+      @links, @entries, @authors, @contributors = Links.new, [], [], []
       
       case o
       when XML::Reader
diff --git a/spec/atom_spec.rb b/spec/atom_spec.rb
index <HASH>..<HASH> 100644
--- a/spec/atom_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/atom_spec.rb
@@ -42,6 +42,14 @@ shared_examples_for 'simple_single_entry.atom attributes' do
     @feed.alternate.href.should == 'http://example.org/'
   end
   
+  it "should have 1 author" do
+    @feed.should have(1).authors
+  end
+  
+  it "should have 'John Doe' as the author's name" do
+    @feed.authors.first.name.should == "John Doe"
+  end
+  
   it "should parse title" do
     @entry.title.should == 'Atom-Powered Robots Run Amok'
   end
Gave Feeds authors and contributors.