Favorite author?

RCMerchant · February 10, 2011, 09:44:41 PM

It's hard to describe the work of Shirly Jackson. Movie fans know here by the classic ghost film rhe HAUNTING (based on her novel the Haunting of Hill House" or her short story the Lottery. But her short stories-very short-sometimes one page-stories-have such an incredible impact-turns it into litature-anybody a fan of Shirley Jackson? The Tooth,The Bus,Louise,Come Home? An Ordinary Day With Peanuts-- I love her work more than HP Lovecraft or Heilen,or....or any! She is my favorite writer. Who's your Favorite Writer?

Leah · February 10, 2011, 09:49:12 PM

Toss up with Mary Shelley, Sir Walter Scott, Dr. Suess, and Richard Wright.

RCMerchant · February 10, 2011, 09:53:13 PM

Good choices all,Chris! I think Dr.Suess was quite the surrelist/dada artist myself.

indianasmith · February 10, 2011, 11:02:58 PM

J R R Tolkein, hands down.
After him . . .
Lovecraft
Stephen King

and the fascinating team writings of
Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child.

Fausto · February 10, 2011, 11:16:37 PM

John Updike (politics are a bit conservative for my tastes, but his prose is incredible), ChucK Palaniuk, Thomas DeQuincey, Lovecraft, Stephen King.

SPazzo · February 11, 2011, 10:15:37 AM

Stephen King. I've read quite a few of his books and I love them.
Michael Crichton. While I have not actually read Jurassic Park, I love some of his later books (Prey, Next, Pirate Latitudes). Good stuff. (Although I didn't like State of Fear).
J.K. Rowling. Oh, come on. I grew up on those books. Of course I'm going to like them.

Derf · February 11, 2011, 11:26:47 AM

Terry Pratchett. He is, in my opinion, one of the greatest satirists ever to write in the English language. His work is highly entertaining, but it is also insightful, poignant, and, at times, downright touching.

Kurt Vonnegut, Jr. I love his writing style and sad humor. I think he lost his way in a couple of his novels and started imitating the people who were imitating him, but ultimately, he is one of the best writers America has ever produced.

Dianna Wynne Jones. She is a very underrated writer in America, often grouped in only with juvenile fiction writers, but she outwrites the likes of J.K. Rowling a hundred to one. This is not to denigrate Rowling (she does tell a good story); Jones is just far better.

Raffine · February 11, 2011, 12:48:11 PM

In no particular order:

Kurt Vonnegut
Shirley Jackson
Flannery O'Connor
Manly Wade Wellman
H.P. Lovecraft
Tananarive Due
Christopher Moore
Tom Robbins

And those hilarious Florida guys:
Tim Dorsey (Serge Storms!)
Carl Hiaasen

Ed, Ego and Superego · February 11, 2011, 04:41:40 PM

Terry Pratchett
Neal Asher (excellent Sci fi)
John Steinbeck
Bill Bryson

lester1/2jr · February 11, 2011, 04:57:18 PM

ismail kadare

Pilgermann · February 12, 2011, 02:33:58 AM

My top 3 would be these folks:

Ray Bradbury
Russell Hoban - stole my screen name from his book Pilgermann
H. P. Lovecraft

I've read works from those authors the most extensively, otherwise I've enjoyed Alfred Bester, Walter M. Miller Jr. (solely for A Canticle for Leibowitz which hit me pretty hard), Frank Herbert, Tolkien, and I enjoy Stephen King from time to time.

Oh, I have a great short story collection called The Howling Man from Charles Beaumont. He penned a number of Twilight Zone episodes, some adapted from his short stories, and he also scripted some movies like 7 Faces of Doctor Lao and The Masque of Red Death. The book's kind of hard to come by but I suggest grabbing it if you find an affordable copy or check it out at the library.

I need to read more works from William Hope Hodgson. I love his wonderful novel The House On the Borderland. If one likes Lovecraft, it's worth checking out as it contains elements of strange horrors that are beyond human understanding, although his writing style is a little easier to get into I think.

I really ought to read some of Shirley Jackson's work.

JaseSF · February 12, 2011, 06:09:19 PM

Ray Bradbury is my favorite of them all. Also really like the works of Edgar Allen Poe and Nathaniel Hawthorne. Arthur C. Clarke and Robert Heinlein are up there too.

Killer Bees · February 13, 2011, 03:54:21 AM

John Connolly hands down.

Unfortunately, I don't read as much as I used to, which saddens me.

Raffine · February 13, 2011, 07:55:18 AM

Quote from: Killer Bees on February 13, 2011, 03:54:21 AM
John Connolly hands down.

Unfortunately, I don't read as much as I used to, which saddens me.

Charlie Parker rules!

And Louis and Angel are just adorable.

AndyC · February 14, 2011, 09:59:43 AM

Michael Slade
Niven and Pournelle
H.P. Lovecraft
Steven King
Frederik Pohl
Isaac Asimov
Arthur C. Clarke
Philip K. Dick

And several others who are a little too hit-and-miss for me to include.