Saturday, June 26, 2010

Top Ten Picks: Favorite Authors


Random Rambling's topic this week--favorite authors.

Anthony Trollope. He's a relatively new favorite of mine. But love is love. And right now, Trollope is the best of the best. I love his characters. I love the complexity of his communities. How he peoples his novels so richly, so diversely. I love his narration. How he at times speaks directly to the readers, addresses the fact that this is a novel and that he is the writer. I love his sense of humor. I love how me makes me smile with his descriptions. His writing is amusing, charming, and oh-so-engaging. What I've read so far: The Warden, Barchester Towers, Doctor Thorne, The Way We Live Now.

Georgette Heyer. I love Heyer's historical romances. I just love them. They are giddy-making. I love her characters. I love her witty dialogue. I love her descriptions. I love how her relationships develop. I love the fact that they're clean romances. I'm reading Bath Tangle now. And I've got The Foundling and Venetia to look forward to next. My goal is to read and review all of her historical romances. What I've read so far: Black Sheep, Sylvester, Cotillion, Lady of Quality, Cousin Kate, Regency Buck, The Reluctant Widow, Charity Girl, Convenient Marriage, Frederica, The Talisman Ring, The Grand Sophy, The Corinthian, Arabella, These Old Shades, Devil's Cub, The Black Moth, The Toll Gate, and Sprig Muslin.

John Steinbeck. I never expected to love Steinbeck. But. I decided to give him a chance and I fell in love. I started with his lesser known works. I still haven't read East of Eden or The Grapes of Wrath. I hope to get to both at some point. What I've read so far: Cannery Row, Sweet Thursday, Tortilla Flat, Travels with Charley, The Moon is Down, The Wayward Bus, Burning Bright, Winter of Our Discontent, To A God Unknown, Of Mice and Men.

L.M. Montgomery: One of the first on this list that I discovered in childhood. A few years ago I started rereading her books so I could blog about them. What I've read so far: The Blue Castle, A Tangled Web, Chronicles of Avonlea, Emily of New Moon, Emily Climbs, Emily's Quest, Anne of Green Gables, Anne of Avonlea, Anne of the Island, Anne of Windy Poplars, Anne's House of Dreams, Anne of Ingleside, Rainbow Valley, Rilla of Ingleside, Kilmeny of the Orchard.


Margaret Peterson Haddix. Haddix writes in a variety of styles, for a variety of audiences--children, middle grade, young adult. She's written science fiction, fantasy, historical fiction, and realistic fiction. There is something thoughtful about all her books. What I've read so far: Just Ella, Turnabout, Shadow Children series--seven books in all, Running Out of Time, Because of Anya, Double Identity, Escape From Memory, Takeoffs and Landings, Found. Sent. Palace of Mirrors. Uprising.

Elizabeth Scott. Scott continues to amaze me. I have followed her from the very, very beginning. And I've yet to be disappointed by one of her books. Bloom had me at hello, and I've been a fan ever since. Grace, Unwritten Rule, Love You Hate You Miss You, Something Maybe, Living Dead Girl, Stealing Heaven, Perfect You, Bloom.

Orson Scott Card. I've loved so many Card novels. (I haven't reviewed all of them yet. But I'd love to as time permits me to reread.) Card is great at characters and great at relationships and communities. (I also love Card's columns.) One of my favorite books that doesn't get as much attention as the rest is The Worthing Saga. What I've read so far: Pastwatch: The Redemption of Christopher Columbus, The Worthing Saga. Empire. Lost Boys; Ender's Game, (Ender's Game), War of Gifts, Ender in Exile, Speaker for the Dead, Xenocide...

Rick Riordan. I love his Percy Jackson series. I do. I read The Lightning Thief two or three times the year it was first released. And I recommended it to everybody. (Made my mom a big fan!) What I've read so far: The Red Pyramid, The Maze of Bones, The Lightning Thief, Sea of Monsters, The Titan's Curse, and The Battle of the Labyrinth. The Last Olympian.

Beverly Cleary. I love Ramona Quimby. I do. I loved her as a kid. I loved her as an adult. What I've read so far: Beezus and Ramona, Ramona the Pest, Ramona the Brave, Ramona and Her Father, Ramona and Her Mother, Ramona Quimby Age 8, Ramona Forever, Ramona's World. Fifteen.

Laura Ingalls Wilder. Are there better books out there than the Little House books? Maybe. But these are books from my childhood that I read and reread every year or so. And I have reread them as an adult. And I still love them. Maybe not equally. But still. My favorite, favorite from this series is The Long Winter. What I've read so far: Little House in the Big Woods; Little House on the Prairie; On the Banks of Plum Creek; By the Shores of Silver Lake; The Long Winter; Little Town on the Prairie; These Happy Golden Years; The First Four Years.


© Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

5 comments:

Nikki - Notes of Life said...

I'd say my favourite authors are:

Jim Butcher (author of The Dresden Files series of books)

Markus Zusak (author of The Book Thief and I am the Messenger)

From my childhood, my favourite authors are:

Roald Dahl and Judy Blume.

Jillian said...

Awesome picks this week, Becky. I defeinitely agree with Beverly Cleary and Montgomery! Rick Riordan also just because his writing is simply addicting. Haha.

La Coccinelle said...

You've got some good ones on here! I forgot about Margaret Peterson Haddix. I've read a few of her books and really enjoyed them.

I see you have L.M. Montgomery on your list, too. I really enjoyed the two Pat books (Pat of Silver Bush and Mistress Pat). Oh, and Jane of Lantern Hill is pretty good, too. :)

Allie said...

Orson Scott Card has always been a favorite of mine and The Worthing Saga is one of his best!

Melissa (Avid Reader) said...

Great list! It's hard to pick just 10, but it makes you think about why you love them so much.