Who are your favorite authors?

[zoebartlett]

I love to read but I either don''t have time lately, or I''m preoccupied and can''t focus. I''ve picked up the same Nora Roberts book a bunch of times, and while I like it so far, I can''t concentrate. Anyway, I''m curious to see what authors PSers like to read. I mainly stick to realistic fiction, and even though they''re light reads, I love chick lit. I also like mysteries/suspense and books about families (their struggles and their successes). How ''bout you?

Some of my favorite authors are:

Sophie Kinsella
Jodi Picoult
Janet Evanovich
Anita Shreve
Nicholas Sparks

I know there are more but that''s all I can think of for now.

 

[chiapet]

Favorite mystery writers:
1) Ed McBain
2) Lawrence Sanders
3) Robert B Parker

Other writers I like: Amy Tan, Jodi Picoult (have you read her latest one "Handle with care"?), David Sedaris, Augusten Burroughs, Jhumpa Lahari. That''s all I can think about right now

 

[dragonfly411]

Terry Goodkind
Tolkein
Dickens
Dumas
Dostoevsky
Sue Monk Kidd
Frances Mayes
Gabriel Garcia Marquez
Arthur Golden
Richard Adams
C.S. Lewis
Mark Twain
Victor Hugo
Louisa May Alcott
Dean Koontz
Michael Chrichton
Maeve Binchy
Nicholas Sparks
so so many more

 

[April20]

Zoe- I read a lot of the ones you''ve listed.

I also like:

Marian Keyes
Cecilia Ahern
Jane Green
Isabel Wolff
Emily Giffin
Mary Kay Andrews
Douglas Preston/Lincoln Child
Lee Child
Greg Iles
Karin Slaughter
Tess Gerritsen
Lisa Scottoline

I could go on and on actually...... I read a lot and have a lot of authers I really like.

 

[Haven]

Anthony Burgess
Ayn Rand
Margaret Atwood
Mark Twain
Roald Dahl (short stories)

 

[Madam Bijoux]

The ones I couldn''t live without:
F. Scott Fitzgerald
Tennessee Williams
Oscar Wilde
Noel Coward

The rest of them:
Ian Fleming
Albert Payson Terhune (wrote wonderful stories about Collies)
Charles Dickens
Shakespeare
The Bronte Sisters
Gene Wolfe

 

[gwendolyn]

Bill Bryson
Douglas Adams
Persia Woolley
Jonathan Safran Foer
Stephen Hawking
Shel Silverstein
Nick Bantock
William Goldman
e.e. cummings
J.K. Rowling
C.S. Lewis
Sandra Boynton

 

[Tuckins1]

Here are a few that I can think of:

JK Rowling
Dean Koontz
Barbara Kingsolver
Margaret Weiss/ Tracy Hickman
David Eddings
Anne Rice
Many classics... Orwell, Salinger, Huxley, and on and on and on....

 

[makemepretty]

I love a lot of the authors already listed but my "always buy" is Jodi Picoult. I see the author of the Time Travelers Wife has a new book out, I''m looking forward to reading it. Mostly I read fluff and chick lit.

 

[gwendolyn]

Date: 9/12/2009 8:23:26 AM
Author: gwendolyn
Bill Bryson
Douglas Adams
Persia Woolley
Jonathan Safran Foer
Stephen Hawking
Shel Silverstein
Nick Bantock
William Goldman
e.e. cummings
J.K. Rowling
C.S. Lewis
Sandra Boynton

Oh! And Agatha Christie. Have read almost everything she ever wrote.

 

[elrohwen]

Ooo, I love threads like this.

I read a lot of:
Charles Dickens
Jane Austen
Oscar Wilde
John Steinbeck
Truman Capote
W Somerset Maugham
JRR Tolkien

I tend to read a lot of 19th century British novels, as well as early 20th century American and British. I'm really attracted to authors that write with beautiful English and have interesting characters. I really need to explore more Twain, Tennessee Williams, and Fitzgerald next I think.

 

[KimberlyH]

John Irving
David Eggers
T.C. Boyle
Ian McEwan
Toni Morrison
Mark Haddon
Richard Russo
Joan Didion
Thomas Wolfe
Augusten Burroughs

This makes me want to go visit old friends (book I haven't read in a while).

 

[zoebartlett]

Chiapet -- yes, I''ve read Handle with Care. It was pretty good. I love Jodi Picoult''s writing; it''s very interesting.

April -- I also like Emily Giffin and Lisa Scottoline!

Haven -- I read Ayn Rand''s Anthem in high school and really liked it. I haven''t read anything else by her yet. A former roommate of mine LOVED Margaret Atwood, but I haven''t read her books. I keep meaning to check her out. What would you recommend that I read first? Also, didn''t you mention somewhere here that you liked Housekeeping by Marilyn Robinson (or was that Kimberly?)? I loved that book!

I read Charles Dickens, John Steinbeck, Truman Capote, Mark Twain, F. Scott Fitzgerald, and Shakespeare when I was in high school and college. I liked most of what I read but now I choose to stick with easier and/or lighter books. I''m not sure why. I love the IDEA of curling up with a Jane Austen novel, too (for example), but I''ve yet to do this. Couldn''t say why though.

 

[KimberlyH]

Date: 9/12/2009 3:45:39 PM
Author: ZoeBartlett


Haven -- I read Ayn Rand''s Anthem in high school and really liked it. I haven''t read anything else by her yet. A former roommate of mine LOVED Margaret Atwood, but I haven''t read her books. I keep meaning to check her out. What would you recommend that I read first? Also, didn''t you mention somewhere here that you liked Housekeeping by Marilyn Robinson (or was that Kimberly?)? I loved that book!

I LOVE that book and have mentioned it on at least one book thread (Haven may have, as well, I don''t recall). Gilead is killing me though, the pacing of the book is slow and I''m a plow through reader so I''m struggling.

 

[Haven]

Date: 9/12/2009 4:02:01 PM
Author: KimberlyH

Date: 9/12/2009 3:45:39 PM
Author: ZoeBartlett
Haven -- I read Ayn Rand''s Anthem in high school and really liked it. I haven''t read anything else by her yet. A former roommate of mine LOVED Margaret Atwood, but I haven''t read her books. I keep meaning to check her out. What would you recommend that I read first? Also, didn''t you mention somewhere here that you liked Housekeeping by Marilyn Robinson (or was that Kimberly?)? I loved that book!

I LOVE that book and have mentioned it on at least one book thread (Haven may have, as well, I don''t recall). Gilead is killing me though, the pacing of the book is slow and I''m a plow through reader so I''m struggling.

Zoe--Oh, Margaret Atwood''s work is so fabulous. I would read The Handmaid''s Tale first, it''s so good. I''m rereading The Blind Assassin right now, which is also very good.
Ayn Rand''s work has always had a special place in my heart, as she was one of the first authors I really fell for when I was a young, developing reader.
I haven''t read Housekeeping but it''s on my list!

 

[MichelleCarmen]

Date: 9/12/2009 5:08:25 PM
Author: Haven

Zoe--Oh, Margaret Atwood's work is so fabulous. I would read The Handmaid's Tale first, it's so good. I'm rereading The Blind Assassin right now, which is also very good.
Ayn Rand's work has always had a special place in my heart, as she was one of the first authors I really fell for when I was a young, developing reader.
I haven't read Housekeeping but it's on my list!

I loved the Handmaid's Tale! Atwood's best novel. I've read a few others and haven't liked them very much.

Right now, I've on a Vonnegut binge. He's not necessarily my "favorite" author, but his books are fun to read.

In fact, I do not think I have a favorite author, just favorite books. Seems like most of the books I love, when I go to read the second book by that same person, that book and any others I read do not measure up. So, yeah, maybe Vonnegut is kind of on top. Another that I loved ALL books by is Douglas Adams.

I've read a lot of books geared toward women, but after a while, I've become sick of the same story lines where women have all kinds of issues. I want to ESCAPE from normal life when reading

 

[MichelleCarmen]

Date: 9/12/2009 8:35:24 AM
Author: Tuckins1
Barbara Kingsolver

Kingsolver is another example of an author who I loved one book by and the rest were so-so. The Poisonwood Bible was so good. I plan to re-read it at some point!

 

[iheartscience]

Oooh I''m going to have to check out a few of these authors! Off the top of my head (I''m sure I''m leaving some favorites out!) I love:

Paul Auster
Ann Patchett
David Sedaris
Richard Russo
Ursula Hegi
Tom Robbins

 

[packrat]

Date: 9/11/2009 8:25:35 PM
Author: chiapet
Favorite mystery writers:

1) Ed McBain

2) Lawrence Sanders

3) Robert B Parker


Other writers I like: Amy Tan, Jodi Picoult (have you read her latest one ''Handle with care''?), David Sedaris, Augusten Burroughs, Jhumpa Lahari. That''s all I can think about right now

I love Ed McBain and Robert B Parker!!!

I''ve only read McBain''s Matthew Hope series, not the 87th Precinct.

And Parker, talk about a prolific writer! I need to start his Spenser series.

I also like Dean Koontz, Stephen King, John Sanford, Jonathan Kellerman, Robert R McCammon, James Patterson, Richard North Patterson, Sue Grafton, Mary Higgins Clark, Belva Plain, Barbara Delinsky.

 

[LGK]

Caitlin R. Kiernan
Poppy Z. Brite''s early work, but I''ll still read her latest stuff
Jacqueline Carey (though her latest book suuuucked as much as the first six were amazing)
Stephen King
Tanith Lee
Joan D. Vinge
Neil Gaiman

Those are the authors I tend to buy *anything* they write. There are plenty of others I read a lot, though. Caitlin Kiernan is definitely the favorite at the moment. Her writing is just... amazing. She does short stories like nobody''s business and her endings are so interesting- she never goes for the obvious. Murder of Angels is so far my favorite of her work.

Fun thread! Will defintely check out some of these authors. I read voraciously and my Kindle is total crack to me.

 

[Burberrygirl]

Date: 9/12/2009 7:19:24 AM
Author: Madam Bijoux
The ones I couldn't live without:

F. Scott Fitzgerald
Tennessee Williams
Oscar Wilde
Noel Coward

The rest of them:
Ian Fleming
Albert Payson Terhune (wrote wonderful stories about Collies)
Charles Dickens
Shakespeare
The Bronte Sisters
Gene Wolfe

I love your list Madam Bijoux. A few others I couldn't live without:

Agatha Christie
Jane Austen
Elie Wiesel

 

[librarychickie]

Greg Iles
Iris Johansen
Sara Gruen (Water for Elephants)

and I''m really into Philippa Gregory''s books. Lurve them!

~LC

 

[cindygenit]

Nice thread!

George Orwell
Leo Tolstoy (although i''m stuck on AK)
Nick Hornby
Roald Dahl
Charles Dickens
Mark Twain
J.K. Rowling

And my all time favourite chick-lit writer is Sophie Kinsella!!!

 

[Cind11]

James Patterson
Dean Koontz
Stephen King
Ken Follett
Nelson Demille
James Clavell
Anne Rice
Michael Crichton
Herman Wouk
John Grisham
Jodi Picoult

And so many others!

 

[nytemist]

I''ve been a voracious reader since childhood, so I''ve read a ton of different authors. I was into Dotstoevsky, Shakespeare and Tolkien real young since I was an advanced reader- I couldn''t have enough books! I read history, erotica, autobiographies, dictionaries...

But my favs are-

Stephen King
Dean Koontz
Poppy Z. Brite (ealry stuff)
Laurell K. Hamilton
Dennis Cooper

As you can tell, I love horror/creepy/disturbing books.

 

[princesss]

Hmmmm...I''m not sure I have favourite authors. I tend to take things book by book. But off the top of my head, I love:

Diana Gabaldon
Amitav Ghosh
Barbara Kingsolver
Kurt Vonnegut
Tse Tse Dangarembga (my spelling may be a little off)
J. M. Coetze

 

[Circe]

Date: 9/13/2009 3:27:52 PM
Author: LittleGreyKitten
Caitlin R. Kiernan

Poppy Z. Brite''s early work, but I''ll still read her latest stuff

Jacqueline Carey (though her latest book suuuucked as much as the first six were amazing)

Stephen King

Tanith Lee

Joan D. Vinge

Neil Gaiman


Those are the authors I tend to buy *anything* they write. There are plenty of others I read a lot, though. Caitlin Kiernan is definitely the favorite at the moment. Her writing is just... amazing. She does short stories like nobody''s business and her endings are so interesting- she never goes for the obvious. Murder of Angels is so far my favorite of her work.


Fun thread! Will defintely check out some of these authors. I read voraciously and my Kindle is total crack to me.

LittleGreyKitten, you could be channeling me (with the exception of the Kiernan - I loved the idea of the one where she "picked up" on Brite''s Eddie, but I was *so* disappointed by the reality). I''d love to know some of your other favorites for more recs!

Since LGK got my fave-fave''s, on to the chick-lit: I started out hating the genre and then got fascinated by it. I was actually planning to teach a course on it this term: it was going to be called, "Chick Lit: Familiarity Breeds Contempt," and I was going to go through all the women''s genres through the ages that had garnered this weird mixed response of popularity with women readers and opprobrium from the establishment. And then I had to go on sabbatical ... sigh. Someday. Now, at least the reading comes in handy!

Emily Giffen is lovely: her stuff talks about women''s realities and not just their love lives. Ditto Jennifer Weiner, though I have mixed feelings about almost all of her stuff (she has a bad habit of making hairpin turns pages away from the conclusion). Jane Green''s earlier stuff is COMPLETELY AWESOME (yes, Straight Talking, I am looking at you), but her later stuff feels sort of like her publisher told her to stop with the swearing and the sex and write more saleable potential screenplays. Kerry Reich''s has a great one called The Best Day of Someone Else''s Life that I''d recommend, and while I know this predates chick-lit proper, if you haven''t read Judith Krantz, get thee to Amazon! Her writing is well-researched and full of these beautifully gregarious characters.

And, while I know you said you preferred realistic fiction ... if you like romantic subplots, I would strongly recommend Sharon Shinn. I love everything that woman has written ....

 

[julabean]

I read all sorts of books, ranging from Twilight-esque young adult novels (at 24!) to chick lit to historical fiction. From the looks of my favorite authors, you''d think I''d only read historical fiction. My favorite authors are:

Charles Frazier (author of Cold Mountain, but his second book Thirteen Moons is my favorite)
Sarah Dunant (In The Company of a Courtesean is one of my favorite books)
Tracy Chevalier (she wrote Girl With a Pearl Earring but I''ve enjoyed every other one of her books more than the next)

Lately I''ve really enjoyed some good biographies...

 

[beaujolais]

Edith Wharton

 

[dragonfly411]

I wanted to add Robert Frost. Although not a novelist, he is by far one of the greatest authors of poetry I know of