Favorite Living Author

EMINEM · Post by **EMINEM** » Sun Oct 07, 2001 5:31 pm

1. Derek Walcott, a poet/playwright from St. Lucia and winner of the 1992 Nobel prize in literature. His masterpiece, "Omeros," is a must read for all aspiring poets.

2. J.D. Salinger. Yes, he is still alive the last time I checked. Author of "Catcher in the Rye."

3. William Shakespeare. He's for all time, didn't ya' know?

P.S. Anyone who posts Stephen King will be on the receiving end of three Greater Malisons and a Power Word Kill.

fable · Post by **fable** » Sun Oct 07, 2001 5:34 pm

Originally posted by EMINEM:
P.S. Anyone who posts Stephen King will be on the receiving end of three Greater Malisons and a Power Word Kill.

You bring tears to this ancient, creaking King hater's eyes. Bless you, child.

Mr Snow · Post by **Mr Snow** » Sun Oct 07, 2001 5:37 pm

1. Stephen Donaldson
2. Clive Barker
3. Eric Van Lustbader

Harry2052 · Post by **Harry2052** » Sun Oct 07, 2001 5:40 pm

In no particular order

1. David Eddings
2. David Gemmell
3. Wilbur Smith
4. Clive Cussler
5. Tom Clancy

harry

dragon wench · Post by **dragon wench** » Sun Oct 07, 2001 5:42 pm

I like many authors but two of my favourites are Peter Matthiessen and Cormack McCarthy.

Er yes, I do have eclectic tastes.

EMINEM · Post by **EMINEM** » Sun Oct 07, 2001 6:44 pm

Originally posted by dragon wench:
I like many authors but two of my favourites are Peter Matthiessen and Cormack McCarthy.

Er yes, I do have eclectic tastes.

I think I've read Matthessen before. He wrote "At Play in thre Fields of the Lord," correct? I enjoyed the book, but abhorred the movie. I started reading "The Snow Leopard" but got sidetracked by ["looks down in shame"] "The Vampire Lestat" and never got around to finishing it. From what I remember, it resembled a spiritual autobiography, but never connected it to his Buddhist beliefs until much later on.

dragon wench · Post by **dragon wench** » Sun Oct 07, 2001 7:37 pm

Originally posted by EMINEM:
I think I've read Matthessen before. He wrote "At Play in thre Fields of the Lord," correct? I enjoyed the book, but abhorred the movie. I started reading "The Snow Leopard" but got sidetracked by ["looks down in shame"] "The Vampire Lestat" and never got around to finishing it. From what I remember, it resembled a spiritual autobiography, but never connected it to his Buddhist beliefs until much later on.

Yes, Matthiessen did write "At Play in the Fields of the Lord. Actually, one of the books by him that I have not read. I have heard that Anne Rice is pretty good, although I'm not entirely sure that she'd divert my atention from "Snow Leopard," which I've reread several times.

His Budhist beliefs do come out somewhat more strongly in the end, but they are actually threaded through the entire work. He also wrote an interesting and rather controversial book entitled "In the Spirit of Crazy Horse," which outlines the Leonard Peltier case.

EMINEM · Post by **EMINEM** » Sun Oct 07, 2001 7:45 pm

Originally posted by dragon wench:
 He also wrote an interesting and rather controversial book entitled "In the Spirit of Crazy Horse," which outlines the Leonard Peltier case.

Who's Leonard Peltier?

Sailor Saturn · Post by **Sailor Saturn** » Sun Oct 07, 2001 7:50 pm

Hmm...I don't think Heinlein's still alive, so that rules him out. Laurence Yep is a good author, but I don't know if she(?) is still alive. I like Asimov's books...is he still alive? Peter David is good. I'm guessing he's still alive since I've seen some new books by him, I think. I don't remember the name of the author of my favorite book(The Girl With Silver Eyes), nor do I know if she is alive still. I enjoyed Stephen Hawking's books. He's still alive, right? *shrugs* I don't pay close enough attention, I guess.

dragon wench · Post by **dragon wench** » Sun Oct 07, 2001 7:54 pm

@Eminem
Peltier was heavily involved with the American Indian Movement (AIM)during the 1970s and early 80s, and imprisoned by the FBI on charges of murder. Many say that his imprisonment was based on insufficient evidence. If you do a search under Leonard Peltier you'll find all kinds of information.

[ 10-07-2001: Message edited by: dragon wench ]

fable · Post by **fable** » Sun Oct 07, 2001 7:54 pm

Azimov died quite a few years ago--he was only in his sixties, as I recall, though quite a lech up to the end. (Dumped his wife of so many years in order to get all the starry-eyed nymphettes he could grab at sci-fi cons. And he used to tell me I was envious, too. Hah.)

I'd suggest Umberto Eco, but he's been dead a few years. This bears thinking about.

EMINEM · Post by **EMINEM** » Sun Oct 07, 2001 8:05 pm

Originally posted by fable:
Azimov died quite a few years ago--he was only in his sixties, as I recall, though quite a lech up to the end. (Dumped his wife of so many years in order to get all the starry-eyed nymphettes he could grab at sci-fi cons. And he used to tell me I was envious, too. Hah.)

I'd suggest Umberto Eco, but he's been dead a few years. This bears thinking about.

What?! You KNEW Isaac Asimov? You actually spoke to him? You're not pulling my leg, are you fable? Seriously? No way! I wouldn't be surprised, however, if you did, since you seem quite the polymath yourself.
I've read his Foundation series, of course, some short stories (Nightfall comes to mind), Nemesis, and a few other forgettable works, but I never actually got to see him in person, unfortunately, and tell him to "close his Byron and open his Goethe," or something to that effect.

Aegis · Post by **Aegis** » Sun Oct 07, 2001 8:13 pm

Well, up until last spring, Doublas Adams was one of my favs, but he's dead now..

I also like Jack Whyte, who wrote the Eagles Brood (Four part series, Arthurian legend). Tom Clancy ins't bad, although I find a lot of his books to be very redundant, and too technical at times. thomas King isn't all that bad either. I'm reading one of his books (Can't recall the title). He's a Native Canadian author, and writes some pretty interesting stuff.

Anyway, my list of dead authors is a little more extensive, but hey, whose isn't.

Maharlika · Post by **Maharlika** » Sun Oct 07, 2001 8:14 pm

Originally posted by EMINEM:
P.S. Anyone who posts Stephen King will be on the receiving end of three Greater Malisons and a Power Word Kill.

*dons cloak of mirroring and casts spell trap*

Stephen King...

...not!

Tom Clancy (just finished The Bear and the Dragon)

Nicholas Sparks (The Notebook made me cry --- the first time it ever happened to me after reading a book.)

@Fable: Umberto Eco sounds familiar. I know I read one of the author's books back in college but I forgot...

fable · Post by **fable** » Sun Oct 07, 2001 8:32 pm

Originally posted by EMINEM:

What?! You KNEW Isaac Asimov? You actually spoke to him? You're not pulling my leg, are you fable? Seriously? No way! I wouldn't be surprised, however, if you did, since you seem quite the polymath yourself.
I've read his Foundation series, of course, some short stories (Nightfall comes to mind), Nemesis, and a few other forgettable works, but I never actually got to see him in person, unfortunately, and tell him to "close his Byron and open his Goethe," or something to that effect.

Yep, I knew him, well enough to raise a grin of recognition whenever we met, and trade a few remarks before he was inundated by groupies.

I agree, he really was two separate authors: the serious, boring writer of the Foundation Trilogy, who discovered remarkable things that other writers had been noting to better effect for centuries; and the humorous, personable, charming Azimov, much more typical of the man himself, whose prose I could admire even when I disagreed with some of his opinions. I wish he hadn't settled so happily into becoming a marketable commodity, but he'd also worked hard for a very long time and for very low pay (at least, for his writing), and he deserved some recompense.

Though I swear that there was nothing on the earth more boring than to hear Harlan Ellison and Azimov argue whenever they met.

Sailor Saturn · Post by **Sailor Saturn** » Sun Oct 07, 2001 8:32 pm

Originally posted by fable:
I'd suggest Umberto Eco, but he's been dead a few years. This bears thinking about.

Who?

Mr Sleep · Post by **Mr Sleep** » Mon Oct 08, 2001 4:55 am

Favourite Authors (in order):

1) Neil Gaiman
2) Iain M Banks
3) Michael Moor**** (alive IIRC)
4) K.W. Jeter
5) Dean Koontz

C Elegans · Post by **C Elegans** » Mon Oct 08, 2001 1:05 pm

Originally posted by fable:
I'd suggest Umberto Eco, but he's been dead a few years. This bears thinking about.

What?! Is Umberto Eco dead? Are you sure about this Fable? I just checked a few websites about him that did not mention he is dead. Maybe it's a "Mark Twain"?

I was just going to name him my favorite living author

If he is still alive, my vote absolutely goes to him.

SS & Marihilka: Umberto Eco is an Italian professor in semiotics. He's a scholar in philosophy, and he is extremely knowledgable in theology and history as well as literature and arts.

His best-selling novel "The name of the rose" is the most well-known of his works, and also the most easy to read. A mediocre movie was made out of the novel.
IMO Eco's masterpiece is "Foucault's Pendulum", but he has also written many interesting essays. His work often deals with topics like language, communication, perception of things and reality in general, cognition etc.

[ 10-08-2001: Message edited by: C Elegans ]

Vivien · Post by **Vivien** » Mon Oct 08, 2001 1:28 pm

Fable and Eminem:
Hmm...I actually *like* Stephen King. He's not superb, but he has several very intriguing books. 'It', 'The Stand' etc..He wrote the screen play for both 'Stand by Me' and 'The Shawshank Redemption' both excellent movies in my humble opinion. Hearts in Atlantis is also another good work...

As to favorites...
1) Maren Rasmussan (not quite published fully yet, but she will be!)
2)Toni Morrison, specifically 'Song of Solomon' her mix of reality, myth, and mind blowing glimpses into a human's soul truly is worth this vote.
3) Robert Jordan

Delacroix · Post by **Delacroix** » Mon Oct 08, 2001 1:28 pm

Originally posted by fable:

I'd suggest Umberto Eco, but he's been dead a few years.

Excellent sugestion!

I like to read(no order) :
1)Umberto Eco
2)Vinicius de morais
3) Machado de Assis
4) Alvarez de Azevedo
5) Dias Gomes
6)Sartre (O Muro- The wall- i think)
7) Kafka
8) Carlos Heitor Cony

Poetry-Music:
1)Chico Buarque (Master)
2)Vinicius de Morais