Start Here: Read Your Way Into 25 Amazing Authors

Start Here

Read Your Way Into 25 Amazing Authors

by Jeff O'Neal and Rebecca Joines Schinsky

★★★★

The lovely people at Book Riot put this gem together to help readers navigate their way through the work of 25 authors.

There are a few authors on the list that I have already read all of the mentioned books. That list includes; Jane Austen, Ray Bradbury, Charles Dickens, E.M. Forster, and Edgar Allan Poe. I think that with each of these authors the suggested books are a great snapshot of their work.

There are other authors that I have read almost all of the work mentioned, like Ernest Hemingway, Neil Gaiman, Richard Russo and John Irving. With each of these authors I either learned a new tidbit about their lives or was encouraged to pick up another book they’ve written.

The authors I was the most excited about were the ones that are completely new to me and the ones I’ve heard about for years, but have never managed to read. Most are intimidating authors that I’ve never really known where to start. I’m hoping to try one by Italo Calvino, Gabriel Garcia Marquez and Haruki Murakami this year and I’m grateful to have a place to begin.

BOTTOM LINE: If you’re curious about finding new authors this book is a must. Someone else has already done the hard work for you. All you have to do is pick up the suggested books and start reading!

**You can get a kindle copy here. I’m in no way affiliated with Amazon or Book Riot, I just think this book was a great idea and I’m excited that people may find some new authors they love.

Top Ten Authors that Deserve More Recognition

This week we’re allowed to pick any old topic for the Top Ten from The Broke and the Bookish. I wanted to focus on authors I think deserve more recognition.

It’s always amazing to me that some authors get loads of hype while others fly under the radar. You never quite know why one book gets a flurry of attention and another equally good one never becomes the new “it” thing to read. So here are a few authors that I wish more people would sit up and recognize. This isn’t to say no one reads their books or they haven’t won any awards, it’s just to say that they aren’t household names like John Grisham or Charles Dickens.

1) Carlos Ruiz Zafon – I love this man’s books. His writing is like magic to me, but sadly many people have never heard of him. TRY: The Shadow of the Wind

2) Richard Russo – He tends to be lumped into the modern white man category with Philip Roth, John Irving and John Updike, but I think he stands alone in his ability to create relatable characters and excellent small town dynamics. TRY: Empire Falls or Bridge of Sighs

3) J.D. Salinger – Yes, I know that everyone knows who he is, but usually it’s because of Catcher in the Rye and not his other work. I honestly didn’t really like that book, but I adore his others. Two many people read Catcher and write him off. TRY: Nine Stories or Franny and Zooey  

4) Kate Morton – She writes fantastic gothic mysteries with wonderful characters and yet I just heard about her last year! TRY: The Forgotten Garden

5) Graham Greene – He’s well-known in readers’ circles, but he’s often overlooked by people just starting to explore the classics. TRY: The End of the Affair

6) Mary Roach – Anytime a book is dismissed because of its genre I think that’s a mistake. Roach writes nonfiction, but because her books aren’t memoirs people assume they’re serious. In reality Roach writes hilarious books about a variety of strange subjects. TRY: Stiff

7) Douglas Adams – He was brilliantly funny, but just like it is with movies, comedy is rarely respected. How often do comedic movies win the Oscar for best picture? Sometimes I think it’s much harder to truly be funny than to be serious. TRY: The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy

8) E.M. Forster – I have no idea why, but he’s never at the top of any “Best of” classics lists. His novels are some of my favorites! TRY: Howards End or A Room with a View

9) Dennis Lehane – In recent years Lehane’s books have become popular fodder for movies. There’s Mystic River, Shutter Island and Gone Baby Gone, but as it usually is, the book is better. He creates amazing characters and his books are hard to put down. TRY: Mystic River

10) Roald Dahl – Not his kid’s books, we all love those. I think Dahl’s adult stories are really underrated. They are clever and creepy and I love them! TRY: Umbrella Man

Photo from here.