Who is your favorite author and why?

[mommacanary]

I'm looking for new authors to read. So, Thought I would ask the question who is your favorite author and why are they your favorite.

[crittersmum]

Terry Pratchett!

Why? He is very, very funny at the same time that he treats serious topics: feminism, racism, and all the other -isms. He also always finds a third way between "this" way and "that" way. If you've never read him, you're in for such a treat!

[kaliki_kila]

I like Lisa See. She wrote Snow Flower and the Secret Fan (loved it) and Peony in Love (pretty good, but not as great as Snow Flower). I love books that are set in different places and time periods because it gives some magic to the story. Also, Pearl S. Buck if you are looking for more refined literature.

[katmann]

Right now, I would have to say Marilynne Robinson. I just read Home, which is a companion book to Gilead, which won the Pulitzer in 2005. But I think her best book was Housekeeping, written 20 years ago or thereabouts. Home is great for those of us who have frustrating family (particularly sibling) issues.

[kirstenb]

I love Philippa Gregory right now- she's an English author who writes historical fiction (which is one of my favorite genres). One of her books is The Other Boleyn Girl which is what the recent film was based on.

[Pinoikoi]

Kingsolver.. I LOVE the humor along side the humanitarian message in Bean Trees.

I read Prodigal Summer a few weeks ago and found it powerful for other reasons, but powerful none the less..

[MoonWillow]

Oh my gosh I am not sure that I could narrow it down but an old favorite of mine is Anne Tyler. She writes about American families and her humor is a bit dark and dry (also subtle). Joyce Carol Oates too for similar reasons. She's a bit darker, also maybe deeper.

[A&A]

Originally Posted by MotherWren

Oh my gosh I am not sure that I could narrow it down but an old favorite of mine is Anne Tyler. She writes about American families and her humor is a bit dark and dry (also subtle). Joyce Carol Oates too for similar reasons. She's a bit darker, also maybe deeper.

I love Anne Tyler, too. I also love Toni Morrison, who is an incredible storyteller. She's coming out with a new book in Nov! Yea! It's titled A Mercy.

[Smokering]

I tend to have favourite books rather than favourite authors, but off the top of my head...

John Steinbeck
Zora Neale Hurston
CS Lewis
GK Chesterton
AA Milne
JRR Tolkien
Paul Gallico
Elizabeth Goudge
PG Wodehouse
Evelyn Waugh
Jane Austen
Douglas Adams

No idea who I'd name as my favourite out of that lot. Two of my top three books are written by TH White and Richard Adams, but aside from those specific books I either haven't read or don't like their other works, so they don't count.

[TEAK's Mom]

A.S. Byatt. Her books are beautifully crafted, erudite, and wonderfully complex. I love the way she truly understands the visceral joy in the act of reading.

[Aquitane]

If you like biographies or historical fiction, I would suggest Alison Weir. I'm a teacher and I read a lot of upper elementary and middle school books. One of my favorite young adult authors is Lois Lowry. She's outstanding. The Giver, in particular, is a fabulous book with a wonderful message. Gossamer by Lowry is also wonderful. (She also wrote Number the Stars, which is read in a lot of schools.)

[caiesmommy]

Dalai Lama

Simply put b/c he's the Dalai Lama!

Also deepak Chopra

[ColoradoMama]

Originally Posted by Aquitane

One of my favorite young adult authors is Lois Lowry. She's outstanding. The Giver, in particular, is a fabulous book with a wonderful message. Gossamer by Lowry is also wonderful. (She also wrote Number the Stars, which is read in a lot of schools.)

What age/grade level would you say these are for? My daughter has gotten REALLY into reading, and she even spear headed her own book club, so we're always looking for good books!

[jane-t-mommy]

I am currently completely smitten with Terry Pratchett. Although he writes in the genre dubbed fantasy, he is so very in tune with our current world and all its messy problems. Yet he is laugh out loud funny and can't put down page turner!! Gotta go read some more!::::

[Aquitane]

Colorado Mama - I would say Number The Stars could be read in 4th or 5th grade. It deals with a friendship of two girls during the Holocaust. I used to read The Giver with my sixth grade classes, but I didn't think they truly "got" the message. It's about a society with no feelings and everyone is close to perfect. People with developmental problems or aged people are "released." You don't find out until about two-thirds in that that means they are killed. Gossamer is sweet - about beings who give us our dreams. It is also serious in that one boy is very angry and you find out he's been abandoned by one of his parents. I would say both of the last two books would be better for middle school readers.

[Pinoikoi]

Originally Posted by Aquitane

Colorado Mama - I would say Number The Stars could be read in 4th or 5th grade. It deals with a friendship of two girls during the Holocaust. I used to read The Giver with my sixth grade classes, but I didn't think they truly "got" the message. It's about a society with no feelings and everyone is close to perfect. People with developmental problems or aged people are "released." You don't find out until about two-thirds in that that means they are killed. Gossamer is sweet - about beings who give us our dreams. It is also serious in that one boy is very angry and you find out he's been abandoned by one of his parents. I would say both of the last two books would be better for middle school readers.

I agree.. The Giver is often found on middle school curricula, but I use it in my Senior level scifi class.. and I think my students get the censorship, and information control issues more clearly than younger kids do.. some ideas there are comparable to Fahrenheit 451 or 1984..

[ColoradoMama]

Thanks. Number the Stars might be something she'd want to read. We'll hold off on the others!

[kirstenb]

Originally Posted by Aquitane

If you like biographies or historical fiction, I would suggest Alison Weir. I'm a teacher and I read a lot of upper elementary and middle school books. One of my favorite young adult authors is Lois Lowry. She's outstanding. The Giver, in particular, is a fabulous book with a wonderful message. Gossamer by Lowry is also wonderful. (She also wrote Number the Stars, which is read in a lot of schools.)

The Giver is one of my favorite books! I think we read it in 6th grade? I remember reading Number the Stars in 5th grade. Both great books.

[Aquitane]

Originally Posted by kirstenb

The Giver is one of my favorite books! I think we read it in 6th grade? I remember reading Number the Stars in 5th grade. Both great books.

I'm so glad there are some other adults out there who count some "Children's Literature" as their favorites. Sometimes I feel like such a dork when I recommend my favorite kid's books to adults. They look at me like I'm crazy!

And ColoradoMama - How awesome that your daughter has started her own book club!

[AndVeeGeeMakes3]

Originally Posted by katmann

Right now, I would have to say Marilynne Robinson. I just read Home, which is a companion book to Gilead, which won the Pulitzer in 2005. But I think her best book was Housekeeping, written 20 years ago or thereabouts. Home is great for those of us who have frustrating family (particularly sibling) issues.

I also LOVE Richard Bausch. He's funny and extremely serious at the same time. I think my favorite book by him is Wives and Lovers (a collection of three longish short stories).