Who's your favourite writer?

Muise... · 25-04-2014 10:36PM

connected1 wrote: »

Tolstoy. His insight into the human condition is profound and so deceptively simple. But I only read War and Peace after I got a Kindle. The book weighs a ton!

Anna Karenina is beautiful too - and lighter.

EuropeanSon · 25-04-2014 10:47PM

Murakami for me. I love his stories, and his novels, and is the only writer with a fairly large back catalogue who I've read everything by.

He just writes so beautifully, I always love rereading his stuff.

I also love the works of quite a few fantasy writers: Pat Rothfuss is probably the best writer in the genre, and I loved his two books, but my favourite series was Stephen Eriksen's Malazan Book of the Fallen.

artvanderlay · 25-04-2014 10:49PM

Jo Nesbo...I love those hairy hole adventures:p

artvanderlay · 25-04-2014 10:50PM

Whoops...forgot our own Ryan Tubridy. The Irish are Cumming was particularly entertaining.

frostyjacks · 25-04-2014 10:51PM

Bret Easton Ellis

RossyG · 25-04-2014 11:34PM

Fiction: Christopher Isherwood.

Non-Fiction: George Orwell, with Clive James coming close.

She's only written three books, but I think Donna Tartt is the best living novelist, with Pat Barker second.

Mentioned in despatches: Alan Garner; Ian McEwan; Ian Fleming (no, honestly; the Bond books are terrific); Robert Louis Stevenson; Graham Greene; Evelyn Waugh.

Aidric · 25-04-2014 11:48PM

Agree with the OP regarding Bukowski. He is my go to writer when I need a laugh. No pretension, just straight up leave it all on the page emotion.

As for my favourite writer its Haruki Murakami. Brings prose off the page like no other writer I've ever read. He brings clarity to the complexity, a rare skill.

anncoates · 25-04-2014 11:49PM

I could never pick one overall but in terms of pure craft, it would be John Updike.

Mardy Bum · 25-04-2014 11:54PM

David Foster Wallace was the greatest writer until his untimely death. The manner in which he described the human condition in all its glories (see essay on Roger Federer) and failures (any of his short stories) in all its minute emotions makes every single line truly interesting and there are few writers with that talent.

Stavros Murphy · 25-04-2014 11:56PM

Mardy Bum wrote: »

David Foster Wallace was the greatest writer until his untimely death. The manner in which he described the human condition in all its glories (see essay on Roger Federer) and failures (any of his short stories) in all its minute emotions makes every single line truly interesting and there are few writers with that talent.

You have obviously missed the work of Orangesoda so.

eviltwin · 25-04-2014 11:57PM

Can't answer that question, its like being asked to pick my favourite child.

RHJ · 26-04-2014 12:23AM

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Zaph · 26-04-2014 12:34AM

131spanner wrote: »

Peig Sayers. Inspiring...

That miserable bitch was a joyless individual who managed to suck the joy out of many lives long after she was dead. But am I bitter? Damn right I am. :pac:

My favourites include Douglas Adams (obviously!), Douglas Coupland, William Gibson Terry Pratchett, Carl Hiaasen and Christopher Brookmyre. All entertaining and intelligent writers, but none of them would be what you'd describe as heavy duty literature. Life's too short for that!

Shakespeare's Sister · 26-04-2014 12:37AM

Margaret Atwood! Her scary visions of the future are too plausible to be able to handle at times, but so good.

Geomy · 26-04-2014 12:48AM

John Moriarty

FlusterCluck · 26-04-2014 05:27AM

Dan Brown and David Baldacci for those thriller "page-turners"

I seem to have only read one work from any of the greats like 1984 by Orwell, Grapes of Wrath by Steinbeck, A Fairwell to Arms by Hemingway, etc.

Loved Pratchett, Khalid Husseini, Dean Koontz, Arthur Conan Doyle.

Loved and re-read the old Sven Hassel books.

Cookie_Monster · 26-04-2014 07:02AM

Alastair Reynolds

pc7 · 26-04-2014 07:08AM

John Connolly closely followed by James Lee Burke, John Sanford, Michael Connolly, Peter James & Agatha Christie. Could never just pick one!

Brigante · 26-04-2014 07:08AM

Hunter S. Thompson

UsedToWait · 26-04-2014 07:20AM

Love this thread..

I read a lot, but have never read as much as a word by many of the aforementioned writers.

The sad thing is the world of literature is so vast, I probably never will.

It would be great if people could try to sell us one book that they say people need to read by their favourite author, and explain why, rather than just stating the name of their favourite writer..

That said, imma have to think about my own choice a while - I'm not sure I can pick an out and out favourite

osarusan · 26-04-2014 08:12AM

Charles Dickens, John Steinbeck, JM Coetzee, Gabriel Garcia Marquez, kazuo Ishiguro would be the ones I go back to again and again.

Right now it is Coetzee and Waiting for the Barbarians.

connected1 · 26-04-2014 12:06PM

It would be great if people could try to sell us one book that they say people need to read by their favourite author, and explain why, rather than just stating the name of their favourite writer..

connected1 · 26-04-2014 12:09PM

connected1 wrote: »

It would be great if people could try to sell us one book that they say people need to read by their favourite author, and explain why, rather than just stating the name of their favourite writer..

sorry I meant to add that my best book ever is 'Disgrace' by UK Coetzee. Incredibly powerful read, prose so spare but so moving.

gg2 · 26-04-2014 12:21PM

How bad is it if I say Roald Dahl? He's just one that always sticks with me, amazing imaginative stories. I also love John McGahern and Stephen King

karaokeman · 26-04-2014 12:25PM

Right now James Joyce or Mark Twain.

Shakespeare's Sister · 26-04-2014 01:22PM

Stephen King and Roald Dahl are/were two superb, sharp, witty writers - nothing wrong with them just because they're not considered "high-brow".

osarusan · 26-04-2014 01:29PM

gg2 wrote: »

I also love John McGahern

I wouldn't call him a favourite as I've only read 2 of his novels, but I thought "That they may face the rising sun" was a wonderful, wonderful novel.

Aidric · 26-04-2014 01:30PM

I also have a soft spot for Dennis Lehane. To use that overused phrase, his books are real page turners.

Right Turn Clyde · 26-04-2014 01:49PM

gg2 wrote: »

How bad is it if I say Roald Dahl?

Nothing wrong with that at all. 'Danny the Champion of the World' was the first novel I ever read. I read through it again recently to see if it was as good as I had remembered. It was even better. A lot of Danny's innocence was lost on me the first time around because I was only a child myself. Also, the chapter where he goes searching for his father in the dark of night felt really creepy. I guess as an adult you can better appreciate the danger he was in. There's also some class politics in there as well which I never spotted before. Very enjoyable!

MrBobbyZ · 26-04-2014 01:57PM

Orwell or Joyce.

Modern day: George RR, Cormac McCarthy

Soft Spot for: Pratchett, Steven Erikson, Irvine Welsh

Who's your favourite writer?

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