Who is the most deserving famous author

[RobRoy]

We have threads on the most over-rated, and most under-rated authors, I was curious what author is actually deserving of the level of fame and success they have acheived?

[Slimething]

Mark Twain, John Steinbeck and myself.

[GreNME]

Frank Herbert :)

Once he gets famous, Scott Roberts.

[Elizabeth I]

Well, to belabor the obvious, Shakespeare.

Jane Austen.

Mark Twain.

Miguel de Cervantes.

[RedIbis]

William Faulkner.

I've also got to hand it to Cormac McCarthy. I'm reading Suttree right now and it's about the only American book that approaches the visual creativity and impressive use of language as Faulkner.

[Marquis de Carabas]

Every author (indeed, every human) has the precise level of fame deserved.

[Andronicus]

In English William Shakespeare is considered by many people the greatest writer who ever lived. I'd agree on many levels.

[LibraryLady]

*ahem*

Lewis Carroll

[geni]

Well, to belabor the obvious, Shakespeare.

A hack who got lucky.


Jane Austen.


Evidence that if the "literary elite" harp on about something long enough they will eventualy sell some books.

[geni]

The logical aproach would be to look for authors who have managed to atchive fame during a period where their style of work being largely written off by the establisment.

So early Si-fi and fantasy authors might qualify or some of the first graphic novel people to make progress (Art Spiegelman or Neil Gaiman say).

[Elizabeth I]

Evidence that if the "literary elite" harp on about something long enough they will eventualy sell some books.

Sorry, I fell in love with Jane Austen's writing as soon as I got into the first chapter of Pride and Prejudice. Hadn't heard anything from the "literary elite" and don't think much of them anyway.

[geni]

Sorry, I fell in love with Jane Austen's writing as soon as I got into the first chapter of Pride and Prejudice. Hadn't heard anything from the "literary elite" and don't think much of them anyway.

And why do you think the book was in a position to be read by you? How many other midly sucessful victorian novelists have you read books by?

[KateHL]

Heh. I think it's amusing that this thread automatically assumes fame as being a positive. So many authors are recluses who would be happy to never meet a fan. So in that line of thought, if I don't like the work of JD Salinger (and I don't, to be honest) should I wish him fame (that's a bit mean, even for me)? If I DO like the work of an author who goes out of his way to promote himself should I wish him fame? Probably, considering fame leads to sales and money is useful for survival.

By this criteria I'll have to say Vonnegut as he was both an incredible writer and lecturer. Same with Upton Sinclair. I may be a bit biased on this point, though, as he was my grandmother's uncle and he helped raise her while her father had tuberculosis and after he died during the depression (he even used her family in some of his woo experiments!). My reasoning is as follows: He was a talented writer and very much a self-made man (he began writing for a living in his early teens if I remember correctly) going so far as to publish his own works when he couldn't find a buyer. That kind of dedication is something I admire and cannot identify with in the slightest. If I'm told no more than a few times I'm going to shuffle on home and find a new career.

Let's see, Eudora Welty is another one who sticks out. Lovely woman. Douglas Adams, of course.

[Fnord]

Saul/Paul of Tarsus.

He got more people talking about that fellow from Nazareth than any other author, in addition to starting a religion.

But then I'd have to include L. Ron Hubbard and Joseph Smith ...

... never mind.

[TX50]

Publius Vergilius Maro. In the original, the "Aeneid" is just sublime.

[bruto]

And why do you think the book was in a position to be read by you? How many other midly sucessful victorian novelists have you read books by?Victorian? Not quite. Some of us have read (or attempted to read!) books by her contemporaries, however, and it helps to bring home just how unusual Austen was, as well as giving a little more understanding of the satire in novels such as Northanger Abbey. Her success during her own lifetime was modest, and anonymous as was often the case with women authors, and it's true that she was soon largely forgotten by all but a few of the so-called literary elite. But why shouldn't the so-called literary elite be in a position to revive a great author? I, for one, thank them for it.

[Zenskeptical]

I would definetely say John Steinbeck and Faulkner.

[Tricky]

Kilgore Trout

[Slimething]

Kilgore Trout

AFAIK, he only wrote one book. Is that right? Slimey on the Half-Shell or something like that. :boxedin:

[Zenskeptical]

Kilgore Trout

Clever.:D

[AgeGap]

Jeffrey Archer got what he deserved.

[Halcyon Dayz]

Jeffrey Archer got what he deserved.

:D

Alas for the wrong reason.

[hgc]

I want to 2nd almost everyone mentioned, and especially Faulkner and Austen. geni reminds me of a character in the movie Metropolitan by the name of Tom Townsend. He carries on endlessly criticizing Austen, and particularly Mansfield Park. Then it's revealed that he hasn't read any Austen. He said he just read literary criticism and not the work being critiqued because he didn't want to bias his opinion!

I'll add Dickens (and actual Victorian writer) too. I'm reading Great Expectations right now, and damn, that's good.

I've been re-reading Vonnegut since his death, and he most definitely deserved his fame.

[jenspen]

I want to 2nd almost everyone mentioned, and especially Faulkner and Austen. geni reminds me of a character in the movie Metropolitan by the name of Tom Townsend. He carries on endlessly criticizing Austen, and particularly Mansfield Park. Then it's revealed that he hasn't read any Austen. He said he just read literary criticism and not the work being critiqued because he didn't want to bias his opinion!

I'll add Dickens (and actual Victorian writer) too. I'm reading Great Expectations right now, and damn, that's good.

I've been re-reading Vonnegut since his death, and he most definitely deserved his fame.

What he said.

[KateHL]

I'll add Dickens (and actual Victorian writer) too. I'm reading Great Expectations right now, and damn, that's good.Dickens was a phenomenal writer and it makes me sad when people see boring in the place of hilarity when they read his work.

[hgc]

Dostoyevsky (The Brothers Karamozov)
Nabakov (Lolita)
Molière (Tartuffe)
Moravia (The Conformist)

[tkingdoll]

Dickens was a phenomenal writer and it makes me sad when people see boring in the place of hilarity when they read his work.

Thirded. Dickens makes me laugh out loud.

[Agamemnon2]

Terry Pratchett.

[Almo]

Douglas Adams, Frank Herbert, Stephen Jay Gould.

[Doc Daneeka]

Joseph Conrad. His work is even more impressive when you realise that he didn't even learn english until he was in his late teens.

[kinkymagic]

Laurence Sterne

Dr Johnson famously dismissed Tristam Shandy in five words: "Nothing odd will do long." Been going for almost two and a half centuries now.

[Andronicus]

Joseph Conrad. His work is even more impressive when you realise that he didn't even learn english until he was in his late teens.

Not my absolute favorite, but certainly a spectacular writer who was deserving of his fame.

[Doc Daneeka]

Not my absolute favorite, but certainly a spectacular writer who was deserving of his fame.

Indeed. He's not my favourite either, but his writing is certainly worthy of fame.

[Damien Evans]

Douglas Adams, Joseph Conrad and John Tolkein

[Kmee]

Well I happened to come accross this "Who is the most deserving author?" thread and I absolutely must express my opinion. Kurt Vonnegut absolutely blew me out of the water this year. However, after reading a few more of his books I came accross the following authors which at least deserve our respects. John Fante, Allen Ginsberge, Thomas Wolfe, Ernest Hemmingway, Lawrance, Celine, Turgenev, Gorky, Dostoevsky.

I am new, but love the system. Be as harsh as you want, I'll be here with a smile on.

Jon.

[Ashles]

Douglas Adams and Jonathan Swift.

[fitzgibbon]

Michael Ondaatje. Read "In The Skin of the Lion" after having seen "The English Patient" and was astonished by the visual impact of his writing.

[RedIbis]

Well I happened to come accross this "Who is the most deserving author?" thread and I absolutely must express my opinion. Kurt Vonnegut absolutely blew me out of the water this year. However, after reading a few more of his books I came accross the following authors which at least deserve our respects. John Fante, Allen Ginsberge, Thomas Wolfe, Ernest Hemmingway, Lawrance, Celine, Turgenev, Gorky, Dostoevsky.

I am new, but love the system. Be as harsh as you want, I'll be here with a smile on.

Jon.

Not to be too harsh, but you want to check the spelling of some of those great writers.

On a more pertinent note, I was recently introduced to John Fante's "Brotherhood of the Grape." What a beautiful and poignant book. He reminds me of an Italian John Steinbeck. Highly recommended.

[this charming man]

Jonathan Swift?

No matter how many times I read A Modest Proposal (http://books.google.com/books?id=WCsCR6yVPLIC&dq=a+modest+proposal&pg=PP1&ots=9CT2V_5QhP&sig=JFhrkaH_HB_Mwx0wTPsTpQdPhzw&hl=en&prev=http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=a+modest+proposal&sa=X&oi=print&ct=title&cad=one-book-with-thumbnail), I laugh and sit in awe of such wit.

[Tressa]

JK Rowling; for getting people of all ages to put down the video games, set down the tv remote, and turn off the computer by weaving a wonderful fantasy hero tale.

[Stellafane]

Herman Melville, F. Scotts Fitzgerald, Flannery O'Connor.

[RedIbis]

Herman Melville, F. Scotts Fitzgerald, Flannery O'Connor.

I mentioned Flannery O'Connor earlier in this thread. She's truly one of the greatest of the 20th C. So funny, so perceptive, such a great writer.

"She would have been a good woman had there been someone there to shoot her every minute of her life."

[Kmee]

[QUOTE=RedIbis;3335023]Not to be too harsh, but you want to check the spelling of some of those great writers.[QUOTE]

Definitely not being harsh, I should have been paying more attention (always had troubles with the spelling of names from memory). I feel like I have failed them all haha. I can't figure out how to edit posts, but appreciate your heads up. Thanks.

Jon.

[Kestrel]

JK Rowling; for getting people of all ages to put down the video games, set down the tv remote, and turn off the computer by weaving a wonderful fantasy hero tale.

I will second that.

Anyone who can get kids to stand in long lines to purchase a 780 page book has earned their fame.

[joesixpack]

Joseph Conrad. His work is even more impressive when you realise that he didn't even learn english until he was in his late teens.

I'll second that nomination. I'd also third it and fourth it. Best writer in the English language. Ed Spenser also get's a nod, as does Raymond Chandler.

[gnome]

Poe.

I see Douglas Adams is already a favorite.

No mentions for Asimov yet?

[bruto]

deleted post, wrong forum.

[Danai]

John Steinbeck and Ernest Hemingway, but, in my opinion Shakespeare is without peer.

[figarot]

John Edgar Wideman. Don't think he's very famous however, but he's very deserving. All Stories Are True is better than anything Shakespeare's done.

Dagoberto Gilb is also deserving...

[gerdbonk]

Poe and Bukowski.

[RobRoy]

I'm going to throw Bernard Cornwell up here. He does his research, admits his mistakes, tells a gripping tale with interesting characters, and has been in the industry for years.

[zeusbheld]

And why do you think the book was in a position to be read by you? How many other midly sucessful victorian novelists have you read books by?

ooooooh! a conspiracy! will these elitist devils stop at nothing???

[zeusbheld]

Douglas Adams, if he were still alive, would have mentioned Wodehouse.

[gumboot]

Victorian? Not quite. Some of us have read (or attempted to read!) books by her contemporaries, however, and it helps to bring home just how unusual Austen was, as well as giving a little more understanding of the satire in novels such as Northanger Abbey. Her success during her own lifetime was modest, and anonymous as was often the case with women authors, and it's true that she was soon largely forgotten by all but a few of the so-called literary elite. But why shouldn't the so-called literary elite be in a position to revive a great author? I, for one, thank them for it.


One thing that people often forget is that Shakespeare is much in the same boat. His work was never considered that important during his lifetime.

[Whiplash]

No mentions for Asimov yet?

I'll second that. My personal favorite SF writer overall.

[gumboot]

I thought I'd mention some deserving fantasy writers... the fantasy genre seems to be the poor man of fiction - most people don't take them seriously. But there's a few writers out there who deserve more credit than they receive.

Terry Pratchett
Bernard Cornwall
Jack Whyte
Cecilia Dart-Thornton
George R R Martin
Mary Stewart
Juliet Marillier
Guy Gavriel Kay

[Gregory]

Mikhail Bulgakov. I haven't liked most of the Russian literature I've tried--everybody killing themselves or freezing to death--but The Master and Margarita and Heart of a Dog really impressed me.

And Wodehouse--because when you can write as well as he did, it doesn't really matter if you're basically telling the same three or four stories over and over.

[Shoogar]

Edgar Allen Poe
Tolkien
Arthur C. Clarke

Shakespeare

[Sceptic Realist]

Shakespeare is at the top of my list, because he covered such a broad range of stories, ideas, and plights of common man. What's that they always say - there are only ten plots known to man? He's done em all, and with language that sings.

Tolkien, Asimov, and a whole bunch of others for imagination un - paralelled.

Douglas Adams.

If I keep listing, I'll never stop. So I'll stop right there.