It'll be Tolkien for me, currently listening to the Rob Inglis audiobooks for the second time this year, though a member here called Sam Gamgee (Heh) recommended Andy Serkis' narration of The Hobbit.
Who is Your Current Favorite Writer?
- Thread starter Shortwave
- Start date
Since someone beat me to James Joyce, I’ll throw in Thomas Wolfe.
Impossible to pick just one writer.
But, among american writers, Charles Bukowski, John Williams and Cormac McCarthy.
Yet to read Harry Crews, his style seems interesting.
But, among american writers, Charles Bukowski, John Williams and Cormac McCarthy.
Yet to read Harry Crews, his style seems interesting.
"Current favorite" was to suggest that the answer may change. My favorites have changed as I've gotten older.
I picked up Brothers Karamazov and the idiot recently but can’t decide which one to start with. Which one would you recommend to start out?
I'd have difficulty nailing down an exclusive favorite, but candidates include St. Augustine, Dostoevsky, and George MacDonald, among others.
Bros K is considered the greater work, and FWIW it makes my short list of the greatest books written.
Yeh, I was assuming that the OP was wanting favorite living authors for some reason also. But, I think some interpreted it as "who you currently like." But, I think I was also wrong in how I construed it.
Value per word, range and vision, William Shakespeare always. It's not easy to get into that gear, but once there, it is an incomparable ride. Right now I'm working on two contemporary poets, though one died fairly recently -- the late Robert Bly and the former U.S. poet laureate and Nobel Laureate Louise Gluck (umlaut over the U) who also writes eye-opening essays. For topical satire, I'm enjoying Andrew Berkowitz, who answers the call, if you can't say anything nice, come over here and sit by me. Hemingway, in is three best novels, was a master, as was Fitzgerald in The Great Gatsby. For history, I like Vernon Parrington and his American intellectual history, not an easy read by rich in content. I like James Joyce's short story The Dead, and Ulysses. Finnegan's Wake is too much like the Sunday puzzle for me, feels like a scholarly landfill. T.S. Eliot is a huge cultural influence; his narrative pastiche in poetry is echoed in every TV and online advertisement, with the quick cuts and dialogue fragments; few make that obvious association. Other greats, Fred Chappell, Tom Whalen, Tom McAfee, R.P. Dickey ... many. Melville, of course. The late great poet Anna Wooten-Hawkins.
I have to note that I said tried or some similar word in reference to reading that one.
My "favorite" changes depending on what I'm reading, but I have loved the Red Rising series by Pierce Brown for the past couple of years. Five books so far in the series with two more on the way.
I'm also reading The Wheel of Time series by Robert Jordan. He is very detailed oriented and it can seem like a slog to get through them, but great writing, nonetheless.
My other favorites would probably be considered mainstream by some, but I enjoy them a lot and reread them on a yearly basis:
Dan Simmons (Hyperion Series)
Frank Herbert (Dune)
Stephen King (The Dark Tower Series)
GRR Martin (A Song of Ice and Fire; but I really enjoyed Tuf Voyaging; a complete departure from his GOT stuff).
Dennis E Taylor (We Are Legion; We Are Bob; insightful and humorous; very well written)
I'm also reading The Wheel of Time series by Robert Jordan. He is very detailed oriented and it can seem like a slog to get through them, but great writing, nonetheless.
My other favorites would probably be considered mainstream by some, but I enjoy them a lot and reread them on a yearly basis:
Dan Simmons (Hyperion Series)
Frank Herbert (Dune)
Stephen King (The Dark Tower Series)
GRR Martin (A Song of Ice and Fire; but I really enjoyed Tuf Voyaging; a complete departure from his GOT stuff).
Dennis E Taylor (We Are Legion; We Are Bob; insightful and humorous; very well written)
Karamazov may indeed be the greatest novel of all time, but Crime and Punishment is my personal favorite.
William Gibson currently. Just did a read of the whole Sprawl trilogy and some others, too.
Jim Harrison. Started reading his works almost immediately after he died. Makes me laugh out loud and cry. About half way through his complete works. Makes me want to visit Nebraska some day. Drove through Michigan's upper peninsula once.
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I would agree that BK is worthy of that designation, but all of his major novels are must reads imo...and I'd highly recommend Demons because it is particularly relevant to our current times...significant parallels with what was happening in his society then.
