Think about your favorite authors, your favorite books . . . what is it about them that makes you love them above all the other authors you’ve read? The stories? The characters? The way they appear to relish the taste of words on the tongue? The way they’re unafraid to show the nitty-gritty of life? How they sweep you off to a new, distant place? What is it about those books and authors that makes them resonate with you in ways that other, perfectly good books and authors do not?
This really made me stop and think, because I’ve never been very sure that if put on the spot I’d actually be able to say who my favourite authors are or what my favourite books are. But I have decided to stop give it a go.
And actually i found that my favourite books were reasonably easy to define, so I’ll start there (in no particular order):
- The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie – small but perfectly formed, I first read this at school in the 1970s and come back to it often (but not often enough)
- The Great Gatsby – for very similar reasons, and I was heavily influenced by the advertising campaign for the Robert Redford film – I was at an impressionable age, what can I say?
- Catch-22 – this was a cult book amongst the crowd I hung around with at school, it never left the pocket of my Barathea blazer, and I used to start it again as soon as I’d finished it – haven’t read it for a while, though – lots of quotable lines, very anti-war
- Katherine – in reading this I fell in love with John of Gaunt and it made me a lifelong Lancastrian (despite being Scottish)
- Lord of the Rings – inevitable really, I love the epic scale, every time I read it I focus on something new
- The Glass Bead Game – I was very impressed with Hermann Hesse when I was a student, but this is the only one I re-read regularly and I love the philosophical aspects
- Family Happiness – my first and favourite Laurie Colwin novel (more of her anon), again a short and perfect book
The only thing these have in common is the emotional response they’ve elicited in me which has lasted long after the book has been set aside, so perhaps that’s what I look for? And having said they were in no particular order I realise that, except for the first two, they are in the order I first read them.
As for authors, I think it is a similar thing of emotional response, and style, and having something to say, and the plots and characters they’ve created sticking with me long after the book has gone, so the list is (and this really isn’t any order):
- Stephen King – have read almost everything he has written, starting with Carrie, and what I haven’t read is probably on the tbr pile
- Muriel Spark – intelligent and witty
- Virginia Woolf – To the Lighthouse is probably my favourite, but the non-fiction sticks out for me as well
- Laurie Colwin – novels, short stories, cookery essays, all wonderful
- Iain (M) Banks – for the inventiveness of both his straight and sci-fi works
- Joyce Carol Oates – awesome in all senses of the word, and so prolific
Very brief comments but I think the thing they have in common as authors, if anything, is that they each have their own distinctive styles, instantly recognisable (in a good way). And I make no apology for having Stephen King on that list, I know it’s not “literature”, I know he can be patchy, but as a body of work it’s pretty great stuff and I like it.
And I bet if I’m asked to do this again in a year or so’s time, Charles de Lint will be on there as well.
What do you think?
12 comments
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June 19, 2008 at 5:09 pm
JLS Hall
Good to find someone else who likes “The Glass Bead Game.” It’s been a favorite of mine since I first read it about 30 years ago. I think it’s probably Hesse’s greatest work even though the others get more attention.
June 19, 2008 at 5:27 pm
gautami tripathy
I need to re-read Catch 22. It has been a long time!
Here is my BTT post
June 19, 2008 at 5:54 pm
Sally
I enjoyed The Great Gatsby.
June 19, 2008 at 6:22 pm
Nymeth
I really need to get around to reading Catch 22.
June 19, 2008 at 6:53 pm
Bluestocking
It is funny. I didn’t like the Great Gatsby.
June 19, 2008 at 7:14 pm
carol
I loved your post. I can remember reading Catch 22 years ago and Joyce Carol Oats remains one of my favorite authors. Have you read The Grave Diggers Daughter? The Great Gatsby was a favorite of mine.
June 19, 2008 at 7:42 pm
Terri B.
You’ve listed some great books here. I’ve got The Glass Bead Game and really should get it read. Loved Catch-22 and re-read it every so often. I read To the Lighthouse for a university class years ago and look forward to re-reading that one. It has been so long ago that my recall is patchy, but I do remember enjoying the read very very much. I have yet to read Charles de Lint, but look forward to it soon since I have 2 of his books on my TBR stack. I think I’ll like his stuff.
June 20, 2008 at 12:53 am
CJHill
Great answer. You can add me to the list of people who enjoyed Catch 22 but didn’t like The Great Gatsby at all.
Mine’s up.
June 20, 2008 at 5:44 am
brideofthebookgod
Thanks for all your comments guys. One of the things I enjoy most about talking about books is the kind of thing we have here, the “I like that but not that” which is what makes it all so fascinating.
June 22, 2008 at 5:59 am
John
Being well written and simple to read is a key for me if its gong to be a comfort read. But Loved The Glass Bead Game and used to reread it in the 70’s and 80’s. Wonder what I would think of it now? This weeks post
June 29, 2008 at 5:17 pm
Susan
Love, love love the Lord of the Rings (have read it several times now) and I even like the film version. I have my fingers crossed Charles de Lint will end up your list next year!! He’s long been on mine….and Stephen King – I still reread The Shining and It regularly. Have to read his new one. And everyone else on your list? Most I don’t know, except for one – I can’t stand Virginia Woolf except her essays. Sorry! I thought The Great Gatsby was so-so when I read it in high school, mostly because the characters were all flighty and stuck on themselves. I wonder if you’ll like anyone on my list? I still have to do this meme….
June 30, 2008 at 2:39 pm
brideofthebookgod
Hi Susan I know what you mean about Virginia Woolf, my husband can’t stand her at all, she is an acquired taste I suppose. The Great Gatsby is another one that divides people; I think that a book sometimes sticks with you because of when you read it – I was young enough to think the Gatsby characters were all wonderfully glamorous and whenever I read it it takes me back to the person I was then – if that makes sense?