Top Ten Authors I Wish Would Write Another Book

Tuesday, January 10, 2012


This week's Top Ten from The Broke and the Bookish asks for the Top Ten Authors I Wish Would Write Another Book. They can be debut authors, authors who seem to have taken a hiatus, OR for those who read classics authors you wish would have written another book before they passed. Here’s my list…

1) Jane Austen – Of course she tops my list! She was only 41 when she died and had completed only six novels and a few shorter pieces. She showed such wisdom and depth in her writing at such a young age, one can only imagine what she would have written if she’d had more time.

2) John Berendt – He has written two nonfiction books (including Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil) and both have been wonderful in their own way. He captures the cities he writes about (Savannah and Venice) in such rich detail that I know I’ll read whatever he decides to write next.

3) Edgar Allan Poe – He was 40 when he died! He created the world’s first detective novel, wrote the infamous poem “The Raven” and has chilled souls for decades with stories like The Tell-Tale Heart and The Cask of Amontillado. I wish he’d had another decade and a few more bottles of cognac to fuel his writing.

4) Douglas Adams – The author of the hilarious Hitchhiker series died when he was only 49. I can picture him growing even funny with old age.

5) Harper Lee – Only one book and it’s one of my all-time favorites. Who knows what brilliance could have been found in a second book?

6) David James Duncan – The Brothers K was such an epic novel and I wonder if Duncan’s next book will have a similar scope or would be something more focused. Either way, I bet it will be great.

7) E.M. Forster – He didn’t die at a young age, in fact, he made it to 91, but I still would have loved another book from him. Howards End, A Room with a View, A Passage to India, each of his novels is written so beautifully. I could read 10 more books from him if I had the chance.

8) J. D. Salinger – The reclusive writer published only four books. I’ve read three and have been dreading reading the final one because I know it’s the last new book I’ll ever have from him.

9) David Benioff – I was surprised by how much I enjoyed City of Thieves. Benioff hasn’t written much else, but that’s because he’s busy writing HBO’s Game of Thrones and a few little movies, like Troy and X-Men: Wolverine.

10) Kathryn Stockett – The Help was just wonderful, as just about everyone and their mother (and grandmother) know by now. I’m looking forward to seeing what’s next from the debut author.

21 comments:

Ana S. said...

So many great choices! Douglas Adams, Salinger, Harper Lee... and I still have some Austens and Forsters left to read, but I wish there were more of them anyway.

Sonia said...

That was a great post. I really enjoyed reading your list.

Anonymous said...

I love John Berendt!! Both of those books are wonderful, i'd love another one. I hope he writes more too!

Melissa (Avid Reader) said...

Nymeth - I have been holding out on reading Sandition because it's the last of Austen I haven't read. I hate knowing I'm out of new works by her after that.

confessionsofacommonreader - I do too. His book about Venice came out while I was in London and I read it while on a train through France for a weekend in Venice. I think I loved it so much more because of that.

Amanda said...

Wow, good call on John Berendt! I loved Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil, but seem to have forgotten about him until now. And I had Jane Austen on my list too (along with about every other blogger!). :)

Shannon (Giraffe Days) said...

Forster died at 91?! I did not know that, wow.

Douglas Adams, sigh, great man. First book of his I ever read was Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency when I was in grade 6 - present from my uncle. I was too young for it really but it really made an impression on me. But I grew up listening to the Hitchhiker series on vinyl, and I finally read it about 7 years ago - love it!

Great list, some authors here I've never read, and some I just haven't got to yet.

Here's my list.

Mumsy said...

So few women on your list. Hunh.

Mumsy said...

Whoops, hit "submit" too soon. I meant to add, I would kill for another Rumer Godden, or Charlotte Bronte, or even Dorothy Sayers or Agatha Christie or Georgette Heyer. I just realized how topheavy my shelves are with women writers.

Kristi said...

Jane Austen seems to have made everyone's list, with good cause. She would surely be at the top of mine! I totally forgot about John Berendt, but I loved Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil. I haven't read his other non-fiction.

*ೃ༄ Jillian said...

Oh my! I envy a world with another ten books by Jane Austen! Also, I didn't realize Edgar Allen Poe had died so young!

Jenners said...

I'm sad that you had so many authors on your list that can't possibly grant your wish!!!

Jeanne said...

What? I have lived longer than Douglas Adams?! Can't imagine his brilliance dimming, but then I didn't imagine that before it happened to George Carlin, either. He got a little curmudgeonly.

LBC said...

Poe is a great one. I would love to see a full on Edgar Alan Poe novel.

Suey said...

Awesome list. And I do hope that many of them will write again soon.

Melissa (Avid Reader) said...

Amanda - Austen is definitely a popular one.

Shannon - The Hitchhiker series on vinyl! That's just awesome.

Mumsy - Wow, I didn't notice that. I would love another book from Charlotte Bronte or Dorothy Sayers.

Kristi - His second book isn't quite as good, but I still loved it.

Jillian - It's tragic and there's so many theories of what killed him.

Jenners - I know, I probably shouldn't have picked so many dead authors.

Jeanne - That's true. Maybe it's better we never had a chance to be disappointed by his work.

LBC - Wouldn't that be wonderful!

Suey - Me too!

Allie said...

Great list!

I'm so glad I discovered Douglas Adams when I did (as a high school student). I love his books...I should have put him on my list!

Kailana said...

What a wonderful list! Douglas Adams died WAY too young!

Arti said...

This is such an interesting post! For me, I'd add Harper Lee who only wrote one novel but that's enough to make her famous the world over. However, getting more books from her would be even better. And, I totally agree with you on Jane Austen, how I wish she could have written many more!

Bybee said...

I've got to read The Brothers K during my vacation! It's been on the TBR shelf for years.

Melissa (Avid Reader) said...

Allie - Me too. I wonder if I would be too cynical to enjoy him if I read him for the first time now.

Kailana - I know, too young.

Arti - Actually Lee is my #5, I would love another book from her!

Bybee - It's a good one! Now I just need to read the original Brothers K, you know, the Russian one.

Anonymous said...

Hi Melissa! I'm new to your blog and I love it! One author I would love another book from is Diane Setterfield. I have lost count of how many times I've read 'The Thirteenth Tale'. I loved it so much. I can't wait to see what she'll write next!