T.S. Eliot, born Thomas Stearns Eliot in 1888, was a renowned American-British poet, essayist, playwright, and literary critic. He is best known for his modernist poetry, including "The Waste Land" and "The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock," which revolutionized 20th-century literature. Eliot's work often explored themes of disillusionment, spirituality, and the modern human condition. He received the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1948 and is considered one of the most influential literary figures of the 20th century. Eliot passed away in London in 1965, leaving a lasting legacy in the world of literature.