Is there hope for mankind?

[5Parker]

I recently saved a sole copy of Slaughterhouse Five from a pile of grotesque romance novels at my local church rummage sale, despite the fact that I own it already. After I donated it to a friend, I got thinking... is there hope for the future. I mean, can anyone point out some authors that are not only still publishing, but are also relatively popular, and are worth the paper they put their words on? I know they're out there........ somewhere........

[simon]

Do you mean authors who have done some great work for awhile and are still putting out something worth reading? Or do you mean a new author who is writing something worth reading?

[Lizzie]

Simon, I think Parker is refering to the authors that are publishing nowadays, you know, the contemporary ones, those who are still breathing; in opposition to those who's works we see as classics of Literature, books that are ever actual and insightful but were written a long time ago. Because there's a lot of rubbish beeing published...
Although, we can't forget that not all of the writers who's work we now appreciate were popular in their time. In most of the times genius is not always recognized and acknowledged by the writer's contemporaries, that comes later on; in many cases, after their deaths.
But there are still many good writers out there, publishing great books. And they can be recognized by readers, with a little bit of luck...

Liz

[bjortan]

There's always been a lot of rubbish published. It's just that 20 (or indeed 200) years later, we only remember the "classics".

And provided there isn't some sort of degeneration in whatever human gene makes a good writer, there will always be great writers.

As for names - how about Rushdie, Oates, Pynchon, DeLillo, Auster, Eco, Ellis, Chabon, and a bunch of others I can't really think of right off the top of my head? There's more to modern literature than Dan Brown and Minette Walters.

[baddad]

Writing is an art. And a book, like a painting or a sculpture, is open to some interpretation. Not all paintings are appreciated by all audiences. Not all books are judged worthy by all audiences either.

An analogy: Much is made of the quality of a wine, its colour, its bouquet, and its palatabality. Wine snobs will tell you that only certain wines are worth drinking. The truth about wine, art, literature?........If YOU enjoy it.....nothing else matters. Judgement is a verb best left little used....just enjoy..............

I really love the little button that makes these..........................................

[simon]

Well in that case, I am under the ever wavering impression that there are a few worthwhile authors our there such as, Barbara Kingsolver, Emmanuel Dongala, Duong, William Wharton, as well as Oates and Chabon as bjortan mentioned. There are many more, but they have to be searched for. I have to do a thourough nit pick of the library shelves to find something that sparks the interest. Take a look as short stories, there are many worthy short story writters out there, check out the O Henry and Americas Best Short Stories Anthologies.

[MrBojangles]

There's always been a lot of rubbish published. It's just that 20 (or indeed 200) years later, we only remember the "classics".

And provided there isn't some sort of degeneration in whatever human gene makes a good writer, there will always be great writers.

As for names - how about Rushdie, Oates, Pynchon, DeLillo, Auster, Eco, Ellis, Chabon, and a bunch of others I can't really think of right off the top of my head? There's more to modern literature than Dan Brown and Minette Walters.


Don't group Minette Walters with Dan Brown, I love Minette Walters....

[Mark F.]

Paul Auster, James Ellroy, Salinger is still writing, even though he's not publishing anything.

[Eagleheart]

You can translate your question in a more refined language and pose it before The United nations...

[Christian]

But there are still many good writers out there, publishing great books. And they can be recognized by readers, with a little bit of luck...

Liz

The more readers, the worse the writing :)