This week’s Booking Through Thursday meme is centred on the question of favourite authors, and Debs has asked a series of 5 questions on the subject:
1. Do you have a favorite author?
A difficult question really as I have a number of authors whom I’d call ‘serious’ favourites, including Knut Hamsun, Ernest Hemingway, Anton Chekhov and Albert Camus. If I were to pick an absolute favourite though I would have to go with John Steinbeck. His characterisation and scene description are sublime, and I don’t think any writer (yet) has made me tingle quite the way Steinbeck does.
2. Have you read everything he or she has written?
At this point I’ve not read everything by Steinbeck but I’m certainly working on it and aim to have read everything, including his letter collections, sometime in the not too distant future.
3. Did you LIKE everything?
Thus far I’ve got to say that I’ve found nothing by Steinbeck that hasn’t delighted me. The Pearl is perhaps the weakest thing I’ve read from him so far (my review of it is here). However one has to be remember that this is a parable rewrite of an old Mexican folktale so Steinbeck is working within certain confines.
4. How about a least favorite author?
Not naming anyone in particular but I detest bestselling authors who churn out constant streams of tosh as fast as they can to make as much money as they can.
5. An author you wanted to like, but didn’t?
The author I’ve probably been less impressed with so far is James Joyce. He comes up on ‘must read’ reading lists all of the time but I always find his prose really hard work to get to grips with.
About Rob
Hmm…I think that’s 3 thumbs down on Jame Joyce so far…
I have to admit that I have yet to read a Steinbeck book (I recently bought Travels with Charley) but I’ll be participating in the Steinbeck Mini Challenge in 2009 and I’m really looking forward to it. Although I watched the movies, does that count?
James Joyce is striking out on BTT. Please come see my answers.
Wow, Hemingway seems to be on a roll on BTT today!
Steinbeck is an excellent choice!! Nice blog. My first time here.
Great post! I enjoyed reading it.
I loved reading Grapes of Wrath. The ending bugged the heck out of me though. Have never wanted to try and read a James Joyce book.
Love Hemingway, he was a genius. I’ve not read enough Steinbeck yet but I like what I’ve read.
Intersting I’ve never been tempted go read any of these authors don’t know why.
Good call on Knut Hamsun. I have only read Hunger.
says:
Wow thanks to everybody who stopped by and said hi! It’s really warmed the place up
) What a great community!
@Nicole – I’m glad I’m not the only one
)
@Marny – I’ve heard about this ‘Steinbeck Mini Challenge’. It looks like a lot of fun and it’ll certainly give you an opportunity to redeem yourself for having never really got into Steinbeck before…shame on you
)
@Sally – See my reply to Nicole ^^^
@Kat – ‘Papa’ is just too good to ignore when it comes to ‘favourite authors’ isn’t he? Although for me he doesn’t quite leapfrog Steinbeck to that coveted No.1 slot (it’s close though!).
@Beth – Thanks for the kind words and a hearty ‘high five’ for being a fellow Steinbeck fan.
@Yvonne – Thanks for taking the time to read it!
@Kathy – As good as Grapes of Wrath is, I was kind of disappointed with the ending. It left a lot open – my theory: he was planning a sequel but never got around to it.
@Pete – I’m glad you agree, although you so need to make a little more time for Steinbeck, but only if you can of course
)
@Bluestocking – I think these authors can often come across as a little daunting but I promise you, if you read just one Steinbeck, it’ll touch your soul forever (provided of course the one you choose isn’t The Pearl
))
@Matt – Reading Hamsun leaves me breathless and Hunger is by far one of his finest – reading it is an unforgettable journey isn’t it?
Steinbeck is an excellent author, but I have to be in the right mood. Already depressed so he can’t do any further damage. I couldn’t narrow it down enough to even post on this BTT