5. Sylvia Plath: A native of Boston, Plath was a gifted student who received a scholarship to Smith College. While she was a student, Plath spent time in New York City during the summer of 1953 working for Mademoiselle magazine as a guest editor. Soon after, Plath tried to kill herself by taking sleeping pills. She eventually recovered after receiving treatment at a mental health facility. Despite success as a writer, Plath battled depression that eventually led to her suicide. She was awarded a Pulitzer Prize for her work “The Bell Jar” the story of a woman’s struggle with mental illness.
