Tuesday, October 5, 2010

Top Ten Tuesday: Favorite Authors



This week at Top Ten Tuesday (brought to you by The Broke and the Bookish) the topic is Favorite Authors. And not just any favorites...the ones you follow closely and read every single one of their books (as soon as a new one is published).

This is and isn't easy for me. I can come up with a top ten, must read every book, list of authors--but I'm not out there waiting in line at the bookstore for the latest release for most of them. My tastes run to older literature, so I'm crawling through used bookstores & book sales looking for the books these authors have written that I don't have/haven't read yet.

Here are my favorites in no particular order:

1. Dorothy L Sayers: I have read every single Lord Peter Wimsey as well as her other mystery short stories, but I am still working my way through her religious apologetics and drama. And I am ALWAYS on the look-out for interesting, rare or first editions of her Wimsey books.

2. David Lodge: one of the few more modern authors that I follow. Always ready for something new by Lodge.

3. Agatha Christie: Been working on her mysteries for years...still haven't quite made my way through all of them.

4. Julian Barnes: another modern author that I keep on the look-out for.

5. Frances & Richard Lockridge: Every time I find one of theirs that I don't have...I pounce (yes, literally...pounce) on it and grab it before it can disappear. Some of theirs are VERY hard to find.

6. John Dickson Carr/Carter Dickson: Carr wrote under both names and I'll take every locked room mystery he has to offer. The only ones I avoid are the historical ones...every time he ventures out of his own time period, I just can't take it.

7. Ngaio Marsh: Another mystery author that I just had to read every book.

8. Edmund Crispin: The best of the male Golden Age mystery writers (at least of the ones I've read so far).

9. Elizabeth Daly: Her mysteries starring Henry Gamadge are absolutely wonderful.

10. S. S. Van Dine: one more Philo Vance mystery to go. If I can just find it....then I'll have to start rereading!

As a kid, I hung out waiting for the following:

1. Carolyn Keene...had to have every Nancy Drew I could get my hands on.
2. Star Trek novels...no particular author, just had to have the latest.

12 comments:

MedSchoolWife said...

I have only read one Dorothy Sayers, but I was impressed! She wrote very intelligently, and she weaved a lot of literary references and topics into her book!

That would be really impressive if you read all of Agatha Christie's... she's written hundreds!

Celticlady's Reviews said...

Ah!! Nancy Drew was my hero!!!

Red said...

The only author on your list I've read is some Agatha Christie. I need to get on top of my mystery novels!

brandileigh2003 said...

Great list!!

Brandi from Blkosiner’s Book Blog

Suzanne said...

I loved the Nancy Drew series growing up, then I moved onto Agatha Christie's novels. For some reason, though, I don't read much mystery anymore.

Anonymous said...

You know, besides the mention of Star Trek novels, I haven't read any of the authors on your list. That's a first for these top 10 lists!

Deb Nance at Readerbuzz said...

I've never read a book by a single author on your list! Eek. Not even Agatha Christie. (And I am embarrassed that I've not read anything by her.)

Ash said...

For five years now I have tried to read a book by Agatha Christie and not once have I succeeded. Perhaps I will succeed someday.

danya said...

If you enjoyed P&P and Persuasion, I'd recommend Sense and Sensibility next. I really like the main character (Elinor) of S&S, although P&P is still my ultimate Austen favorite.

bibliophiliac said...

This was an interesting list! Most of these writers I am unfamiliar with, but I was a Nancy Drew girl!

Irene Palfy said...

Thank you for your nice comment on my list - and your list gave me some new names to "investigate". :")
Frl. Irene Palfy
from
http://allthatglistensisnotold.blogspot.com/

Sugar and Snark said...

Carolyn Keene was definitely one of my favorite authors when i was younger! And still is :)