On the occasion of Eudora Welty's ninetieth birthday in 1999, a pantheon of accomplished writers came together to offer their deeply personal tributes in honor of her importance as the "first lady of American letters." Many of these contributors have long friendships with Welty, while others have felt her influence on their writing from a distance. The common denominator, though, is their collective awe and respect for her unrivaled place in America literature.