This week, the BTT question is: "Who's your favorite author that other people are NOT reading?"And, predictably enough, the answer that springs to mind would be ME!!!
Just kidding, of course. In order to get anyone to read me, I'd actually have to publish something. And having arrived at my rather advanced stage in life with all those unrevised first drafts filed away, that is seeming more and more unlikely. So maybe I should give this a little more thought.
Most of my reading these days is either popular fiction or classic literature, so most of the authors are pretty well known. A few years ago, I might have said Anthony Powell; but lately he's been getting quite a lot of highly deserved attention, and can't really be called un-famous anymore. Same thing with Barbara Pym - people no longer look puzzled and say "Barbara who?" when I mention her name.
I suppose the most obscure writer I've come across recently would be Katie Kitamura - I read her debut novel The Longshot last year and really loved it. But as she's only published the one book, I don't suppose she really qualifies here. Maybe after she publishes that second novel I'm sure she's working on right now.
Maybe one day we will be able to say, "oh, we know her, we read her blog way back when!" ;O0
ReplyDeleteI adore Barbara Pym's novels! My BTT: http://www.rundpinne.com/2010/01/booking-through-thursday-21-january.html
ReplyDeletePenny Vincenzi! I never see her books listed on any blogs as having been read or about to read. Her books are so wonderful that as soon as she comes out with a new one, I'm all over it. She wrote a trilogy about a British publishing family that's set at the beginning of WWI and continues over the course of the three books to about the 70's. The first one is No Angel and then Something Dangerous. Loved them!
ReplyDeleteSomething to think about - and to add to my lengthy library list :) My favorite relatively unknown author is Brian S. Matthews. Here's my full response.
ReplyDeleteI'll have to look into these ones. My pick is at The Crowded Leaf.
ReplyDeleteGonna look them up.
ReplyDeletehttp://fredasvoice.blogspot.com/2010/01/booking-through-thursday-favorite.html
Never give up! People older than you have gotten books published!
ReplyDeleteYour answer made me laugh. I thought of you when I was writing my post, because we tend to like several of the same authors.
ReplyDeleteMy choice was, predictably enough -- Anthony Powell. You must run with a toney-er crowd than I do, because I only get blank stares when I mention Powell or Dance to the Music of Time.
Oh, and speaking of favorites who don't seem all that popular (at least here in America), Penelope Fitzgerald didn't publish her first book until she was 58. :)
ReplyDeleteAnthony Powell would be a long project with the four huge volumes. :)
ReplyDeleteI've never read any of these writers- this is a great meme topic, we're getting so many cool answers!
ReplyDeleteDust off the manuscripts and get famous!
ReplyDeleteJoy, very interesting comment about Anthony Powell. I totally agree that he is no longer "unfamous"--well put.
ReplyDeleteMatthew Thomas
http://classicalsympathies.com/