Favourite Authors and Books

[Ann]

There was mention on an earlier thread of Doreen Tovey, an author several of us know and whose books we enjoy.

En route to Scotland a couple of weeks ago, Jen and I stopped for a break in Coldstream and, seeing a sign for a junk shop, I talked her into a quick detour before we headed back to the car. Browsing through the books, I found one I'd never read by Russell Braddon, one of my favourite authors from way back in the 1960s and 70s.

I know I'm not the only book lover on the Board, so all of this led me to think it would be interesting to add a thread asking everyone about their favourite authors and books.

Another of my longtime favourite authors is Dornford Yates. He wrote a series of books collectively known as "The Berry Books". You either love them or hate them. I was still living with my parents when I first read them. I was a night owl then too and can remember having to stuff the bedclothes into my mouth to stop myself from laughing out loud and waking everyone up.

As far as the classics go, it has to be Jane Austen and Mrs Gaskell.

Far and away the best book I've read recently is "A Suitable Boy" by Vickram Seth. It was one of those books I didn't ever want to finish, because I'd got so caught up in the families it was about.

What about everyone else?

Ann

[tutsmom]

For relaxing, I like mysteries, especially ones with cats. So some of my favorites authors are Lillian Jackson Braun and her Cat Who series, and Shirley Roussseau Murphy with her Joe Grey series. I was also quite fond of the Cadfael series. In addition, of course, to Doreen Tovey's books.

Tutsmom

[Maria]

As Ann already knows, I have a serious book addiction! This is my favourite subject (after my cats, of course!).

I love Anne Tyler, and  Alice Hoffman is a magical writer. I particularly loved 'Seventh Heaven' and 'Fortune's Daughter'.

Jack Kerouac was a huge influence on me, and remains one of my heroes of literature. I've read practically everything by him that has been printed in some form or another. (He also adored cats!)

I enjoy the classics. Emile Zola is another 'hero' and I think probably 'Therese Raquin' is my favorourite of his, although it's hard to choose! I also love the Russian classic writers, Tolstoy, Dosteovsky etc. (But I have to admit that 'War and Peace' still sits on my shelf waiting to be read!)

'Captain Correlli's Mandolin' is one of the best books I've read, and I have avoided seeing the movie so far, although I'm told that it is good.

I've just finshed 'The God of Small Things' by Arundhati Roy and that knocked me for six! It was wonderful.

Rupert Thompson is a British author who writes brilliant off-beat fiction with a deep insight to the human psyche. Books I've read by him are: 'The Insult'; 'The Five Gates of Hell'; 'Dreams of Leaving' and 'Air and Fire'.

Philip K Dick is known mainly for science fiction, which isn't my thing, but he did produce some 'mainstream' novels in the 1950's and they are favourites too! The titles sound odd ('In Milton Lumpky Territory'; 'Humpty Dumpty in Oakland' etc) but if you like Anne Tyler, I'm almost positive you'll like these.

I'd better stop! There are lots more, but this is long enough!

Maria

[Ann]

Maria,

I never got around to "War and Peace" either although I enjoyed "Anna Karenina". I got heavily into Solzhenitsyn years ago too and read a number of his books. I always get confused by the way all the characters seem to have at least 3 names, none of which bear any relation to each other. If there's an explanatory list at the front of the book, that helps, although I seem to spend all my time referring to it.

By the way, don't forget the "Girls Own Paper" of which we're now both devotees. For those who haven't come across it, it's a forerunner to modern woman's magazines. It was published around the turn of the century and makes fascinating reading. I have a number of the annual volumes and Maria has recently purchased her first. If you want to know how to live on £300 a year, this is the book for you!

When I was in my teens and twenties, I tackled just about anything. D H Lawrence continually defeated me, but I only gave up after I'd ploughed through at least 3 of his novels. I was also quite happy to read any genre including fairly heavyweight non fiction. These days, I no longer seem to have the stamina. Has this happened to other people?

Ann

[Lesley]

ann, i agree! no stamina or time for books that 'make me think'.  i'm in love with scottish author ian rankin. okay his writing. crime/mystery novels are my favourite. addiction i suppose. there are so many authors in this genre, but i am running out of authors i enjoy. i've just finish p.d. james' latest, and now i'm reading patricia cornwell.
i too read solzhenitsyn, but a long time ago!
classics, dickens is my favourite, i always find a character to relate to.
if anyone has any suggestions for a crime/mystery author let me know (i've read all the lillian jackson braun ones too).

lesley

[Maria]

Ann, yes, those names in Russian classics are quite something aren't they?! However many times I go back to the lists and try and fathom it out, I still get lost. It's the same as those books with complicated family trees at the beginning.

I got addicted to the 'Girl's Own Paper' thanks to Ann. It is so fascinating! The 'Answers to Correspondents' are fun to read. They don't publish the actual letters, but the replies are things like:

"We always give our advice against English girls going to foreign lands unless under very favourable circumstances..."

and...

"Of course any gentleman to whom your father bows will raise his hat to you; but it is not obligatory on you to bow to a stranger when not in the company of your father."

Wonderful stuff. Actually, the paper did seem to encourage edcuation and independence amongst girls, which at the time was quite revolutionary!

Maria

[Denny]

The books I read these days are usually lighter fare than the classics or Russian novels - the old brain is a bit tired at night to handle anything too heavy   I do like crime/detective type novels.  Elizabeth George, Maeve Binchy, Mary Wesley, Joanne Trollope are some of my favorite authors.  I love Beverley Nichols books and have collected a few, he was a cat lover and garden lover who wrote in a delightfully "camp" manner - his cats were named by number -  'Four', 'Seven,' etc.  Patricia Cornwell is good, Sue Grafton, Dorothy Simpson, Margaret Yorke, Geoffrey Dreaver I enjoy too.  Does anyone know if Doreen Tovey is still alive?  I was lucky to pick up one of her books, "the Coming of Saska", in a junk shop the other day.  My daughters share a love of reading too, one of them has just read the latest Jilly Cooper and says it is good - I find her books hilarious!

[Denny]

I meant to say this is a good topic as I have noted quite a number of authors to look out for at the library!

[Ann]

Denny,

I'm a big Maeve Binchy and Mary Wesley fan too.

Have you come across an American writer called LaVyrle Spencer? I've enjoyed everything I've read by her.

Another author whose books I couldn't put down when I found them is Jean M Auel. She writes novels set in the Stone Age believe it or not. They're excellent. She's written a series of 4 books, collectively known as "Earth's Children". I've read she's been working on 2 more for the past 10 years! The last I heard was that there were plans to publish them together.

Cynthia Harrod Eagles is another favourite historical fiction writer.

Ann

[Silk]

i have watched this thread with interest, and even attempted comments myself twice, but deleted them for fear of breaking peoples boredum factor  

See I am a total bookoholic, and the only reason it has slowed from out-growing the whole towerblock is due to lack of finance.  I reckon I must have half a forest up here in pulped paper, and I still struggle to pick out a book for a train journey.  

I do still have favourites though, especialy in crime/mystery stretching through the classic Conan Doyle's through Chandler, Hammitt and Peters and then more recently an author called Tony Hillerman, who writes crime novels based on a Navaho reservation with two tribal cops as the main characters.
the other fave at the mo is McBain, but a lot of the time that is just because a lot of his early books are only just over 100pages and fit in your back pocket. I do wish the minibook would make a comeback.

Omnibusses and 500 page novels are all very well, but most people don't have the time for them on a day to day basis. Same with hardbacks. I love a hardback, it feels like a real book, but it won't fit in a pocket or a handbag very easily (not that I carry one of those very often ) making it awkward for travel reading or those pesky hospital appointments when your not quite sure how long your going to be waiting for.

Have also read most of the Joe Grey/ Bruan and Midnight Louis books, but although I enjoyed them I personaly found a lot of them to be to 'cat solves human mystery' books with little as to explain why a cat would care.
Felidae and Felidae hits the road were the only two that didn't, but would admit that they were a little too graphic for many peoples tastes. - I struggled with a couple of scenes myself, and I like the odd bit of the grusome stuff -  well as long as it isn't mindlessly hurting cats and other fluffy things -

[Ann]

Silk,

For all I know, you could be guilty of many things, but take it from me, being boring is never going to be one of them!

I think I could have made a stab at guessing some of your favourite authors. Can't wait to see some of your own work in the Reading Room.  

Ann

[Miles]

I used to read a great deal more than I do these days (that's the Digital Revolution for you...)....for pure escapism I've read nearly all of Tom Clancy's novels..I also enjoy historical biographies from pretty much any era....

Miles

[Linda_Wells]

Ah Ann! I have ALL the Dornford Yates books, even the Chandos ones.
At the moment I'm re-reading all the Patricia Cornwell books. I have most of them, but missing 3 at present.
I also like Agatha Christie, Anne McCaffrey, Colin Forbes, Ruth Rendell, Colin Dexter, Roy Lewis, Catherine Aird, Marion Babson, Roderick Jefferies, W.J. Burley, Charlotte Macleod, Anne Grainger, Antonia Frazer, John Penn, Johnathon Ross (not the TV chap), Margaret Bell.... Yes, I'm a bookaholic too. I must have over 2000, which is why there's hardly room to move in this house.
Linda

[Lesley]

linda, are you reading patricia cornwell paperbacks or hardcovers? i'm living in a small town that claims to be canada's only 'book town'. perhaps i could find the ones you're missing.its funny, i just bought one today too!

i visited 'the haunted bookshop'; he had a fantastic collection of everything. i think i made a friend!
he buys as well as sells, so my large collection will have a place to go! i'm really pleased, i was hoping to find a good bookseller/buyer. now i only have to keep the ones i really really like. won't my family be happy!
lesley

[Denny]

H.E. Bates Larkin series of books, Darling Buds of May etc.  were wonderful, but somehow after seeing the tv series the books didn't have the same appeal.  I couldn't imagine the characters any more without seeing the tv ones, if you know what I mean.  Did others find that?