Here are the ten writers I most admire (at the moment, because any time I read a good book the author automatically becomes my new best favourite).
- Hilary Mantel - for her humane, tender, all encompassing characterisation.
- Tim Winton -- for prose to plunge into; rounded, salty characters and a sprinkling of magic realism that wrong-foots and amazes me.
- Helen Dunmore - for blurring the boundaries between poetry and fiction.
- Geoff Dyer - for never, ever being obvious about anything; an oblique, bone dry, stylist.
- Hugo Williams - for making the art of understatement all his own; for never succumbing to any kind of literary compromise.
- Pat Barker - for her first world war trilogy: Regeneration, The Eye in the Door, and The Ghost Road perfectly capture the pity of war; no one else can hold a candle to her.
- Miriam Toews-- for being sparky, witty and original.
- Lorrie Moore - for her unflinching, funny chronicles of the shortcomings of the human heart.
- Sarah Waters - for being a plotting supremo, her books are masterpieces of construction: smoke and mirrors, sleight of hand, prestidigitation!
- Georgette Heyer - because flu wouldn't be survivable without her. These Old Shades? Bring it on...
These top ten thingies can be revealing and a little embarrassing if one is scrupulously honest…. well, here goes;
ReplyDeleteGraham Greene – for me, the Master. The best writer I’ve ever read. I love his work, every single book.
John le Carre – who says thrillers can’t be well written and meaningful.
Philip Hensher – I wish he’d told me to write a novel!
Hilary Mantel – agree with you here Kate.
Geoff Dyer – ditto.
John Berger – if you want to learn more about the world around you, read his books.
Simon Mawer – The Glass Room is a masterpiece, and his other works are pretty close.
Alice Munro – the genius chronicler of ordinary lives.
Derek Robinson –you’ll laugh, cry and be wholly entertained by the best black humourist out there. And I reckon he’s better than Barker for men at war (just).
Martin Gayford – a new discovery, art critic and highly entertaining writer.
…… and Tintin books when I have the flu!
Mmm Simon Mawer and Martin Gayford? Might give those a try - it's always great to have new recommendations.
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