hello everybody!
who is you favourite english writer? or if you don't have a favourite one, which english writers to you prefere to read?
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hello everybody!
who is you favourite english writer? or if you don't have a favourite one, which english writers to you prefere to read?
Are you looking for a particular period or is being English the only requirement? As far as Victorian writers, I would have to go with John Galsworthy and Anthony Trollope. More modern favorites are JRR Tolkien, Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman, all fantasy writers...I really need to broaden my horizons.
William Shakespeare / Rudyard Kipling
or contemporary authors: Wayne Sharrocks / James Herbert
Henry Rider Haggard! He wrote Allan Quatermain and King Soloman's Mines (and many others for that matter) I love his stories because they are all adventure and in exotic places...so what if when he wrote them they were intended for men and boys. I also like Tolkien.
I find it impossible to narrow my choices to one, but some authors that come to my mind: William Shakespeare, D.H. Lawrence, Virginia Woolf, George Eliot, William Golding, Charles Dickens, Thomas Hardy, and the Brontė sisters (especially Emily Brontė).
My favorite is probably Daniel Defoe, although right now I am appreciating George Eliot a great deal.
Mono, or anyone else, tell me why you like Virginia Woolf. I have a few friends with whom I share similar literary tastes who just rave about Woolf, but I cannot get into her at all. While reading Woolf I feel exhausted because it takes her forever to get to the point. I keep waiting for her to stop beating around the bush and just say it. Am I just missing something?
Orwell and Douglas Adams
Indeed, Virginia Woolf can seem slightly difficult to understand, and her literature can get somewhat verbose. I cannot describe what interests me of her (besides her biography), but mainly her very odd and original creativity - no one has written like her, in my opinion, and I have yet to encounter anyone else who has such unique talent. I would have to call A Room Of One's Own one of the most intelligent essays I have encountered; especially for her era, and as a female author, I find that work particularly worth admiration. Mrs. Dalloway, I think, seems her essence of literature - her peak of creativity, twists of plot, deep psychology of each character, and originality of storyline.Quote:
Originally Posted by Psycheinaboat
Though I fully accept others' opinions who do not particularly enjoy her literature, as with any author, but I find Woolf amazing! :nod:
To the Lighthouse is on my ever-growing reading list so I am willing to give Woolf another chance. It is mostly her short stories that tire me. I also have Flush, and I think her life was incredible, but I think that her writing may reflect some of her lack of emotional health. While many authors are simultaneously gifted and plagued by their eccentricities and uniqueness, it seems, at least from Woolfs short stories, that it did not help her work. This is just my limited opinion.
Another thing I find is that I rarely agree with Woolf's criticisms of other authors, so I think perhaps there are differences between Woolf and I that could be almost personal. That sounds funny, but you know what I mean. :)
Nope, you are not missing much! She is one of the most overrated authors, I think!Quote:
Originally Posted by Psycheinaboat
:D
I think one of my all time favourite british authors (I'm not entirely sure he can be counted as english though) is Rober Barr. wonderfully witty! Pitty he isn't more well read.
Other english authors I very much enjoy reading is, among others,
Dickens (of course), Tolkien, C S Lewis, Arthur Conan Doyle and Terry Pratchett.
Thomas Hardy and Jane Austen
Jonathan Swift
Wilde, Shakespeare
Conrad probably.
Psycheinaboat, I have only ever read Robinson Crusoe. Have you read his other works? If so, did you enjoy them?
Do Wilde really count as an english author?Quote:
Originally Posted by bazarov
George Orwell
R.L. Stevenson, if he can be considered "English."
Jonathan Swift originally came from Ireland, I believe, born in Dublin.Quote:
Originally Posted by PeterL
Shakespeare, Wilde (if he counts as English), and Orwell and Huxley. I haven't read that many English writers, now that I think about it. I've read tons of Americans, and a few Irish ones (I'm reading Joyce right now), but not too many English.
I have to say Dickens.... but I also loved Oscar Wilde, Jane Austen and Wilkie Collins
Joseph Conrad, if a birth in Poland doesn't exclude him.
Tolkien, Sayers, Christie, Austen, the Brontes, Dickinson.
Conrad
Probably George Orwell . Both 1984 and "Homage to Catalonia" are among my favorites. I also hold huge respect for him as a person.
Oscar Wilde is a close second.
Yeah, I'd agree with that. Have you seen the Ken Loach film, Land and Freedom? It's kinda like watching a movie version of Homage to Catalonia. Very good film too. And a very good book (obviously).Quote:
Originally Posted by Boris239
I haven't seen it. I'll try to watch it sometime this May. I'm interested in Spanish Civil War in general, but I haven't seen any movies about it (I'll probably watch "Pan's labyrinth" pretty soon)
I have posted before, but I'm changing my mind. After reading Orwell last summer, he is definitely the best.
John Ronald Reuel Tolkien.
But I also like Wilde, Orwell, Golding, Greene.
Dickens. I don't know if I will be able to read anything else (novel-wise), before I've read all of his novels.
Jane Austen and Oscar Wilde (well he's Irish I know...but close enough..lol)
Yeah, I went to see that the other day. It was fantastic, but very gruesome.Quote:
Originally Posted by Boris239
I would say that my favourite contemporary English author is Kazuo Ishiguro (I think he is British, although with Japanese origins): I simply lve his novels and especially the way he writes. His mastery of language is a delight for the reader.
But in a thread concerning English authors, I cannot not mention Jane Austen and the Brontė sisters, my all-time favourites!
:thumbs_upQuote:
Originally Posted by Panflute
Dickens for me too! And i have the same resolution (to read all his books).
In no particular order...
Older: Orwell, Greene, Hardy, Kipling, Austen
Newer: Rushdie (probably doesn't count), Ishiguro (should count),
Children/young adult: Philip Pullman, Celia Rees, Berlie Doherty, Dick King-Smith
C. S. Lewis, Tolkien, Agatha Christie, Dorothy Sayers, P.G. Wodehouse. For more modern I like P. D. James for mysteries, also Minette Walters is a very good suspense/mystery writer.
Born in Dublin, spent a while as a dean in England before returning to Ireland. Was the Dean of St Patricks cathedral when he was writing his works.Quote:
Originally Posted by PeterL
Wilde is also Irish.Quote:
Originally Posted by bazarov
So basiclly just from England? So R.L.Stevenson and Conan Doyle dont count because they are scottish.Quote:
Originally Posted by Lassie
Tennyson, Shakespeare, Austen, Pulman? Sue Townsend. Sure there is more but i'm trying to sieve through autors to make sure they are English.
:lol: but not that close!;) :pQuote:
Originally Posted by Nossa
I really like Charles Dickens, Jane Austen, Daniel Defoe, J.R.R. Tolkien, Salman Rushdie, Philip Pullman, The Brontes, Virginia Woolf, Douglas Adams, and so on...
But Dickens is definately my favorite.