US author recalled in the top academic (6)
I believe the answer is:
capote
'us author' is the definition.
(I've seen this before)
'recalled in the top academic' is the wordplay.
'recalled' is a reversal indicator (to recall can mean to bring something back).
'in' indicates the answer is hidden within the clue.
'etopac' is hidden in the letters of 'the top academic'.
'etopac' reversed gives 'CAPOTE'.
(Other definitions for capote that I've seen before include "Breakfast at Tiffany's writer" , "Truman perhaps" , "US author - long cloak" , "Author of Breakfast at Tiffany's, d. 1984" , "Persons" .)