Your Top Three Favourite Authors

[floragord]

I didn't realise you were a doctor, Floragord.

Heavens, Moonraker, for a moment I thought you were dazzled by my stellar CV!

[floragord]

I'm very pleased to hear you are interested in herbal medicine, do you treat yourself or see a practitioner?.

Well, I check out different articles about herbal cures, the effects of different fruits and herbs,etc. Then I try to figure out what cures what.
I wanted to ask you something - does a banana really cure a heartburn? I read somewhere that it does.

I don't post what could be construed as a potential "cure" Farwa in case it was taken to be an alternative to proper medical advice, but would enjoy chatting about healing foods as a private message if you'd like to, its not for nothing Father Hippocrates said "let thy food be thy medicine"!

[floragord]

Have we got a topic on herbal medicine - or on complementary medicine in general? I know the subject has been mentioned before, but maybe it was just in passing. Quite a few people seem interested in the topic, so if there isn't a thread on it already feel free to start one if you like.

Just matters that have arisen in passing so far Anita, but it would be most interesting to hear everyone's viewpoint on or around the subject!

[Spitfire]

Today I would choose Enid Blyton, L.M. Montgomery, and Frances Hodgson Burnett. Another day might show different results!

[walter raleigh]

He's so talented that his book, "Animal Farm" can be read in two totally different ways - a fun story about talking animals or as the actual satire!

It can be read in more ways than that Farwa. It can also be read as a direct satire of the Russian Revolution and it's subsequent consequences. Indeed Orwell specifically intended it to be read this way, thus scaring off many of the major publishers of the time, for fear of upsetting the wartime alliance with Stalinist Russia.

NINETEEN EIGHTY FOUR is my favourite, I found it unexpectedly in a school library and couldn't put it down! I believe George Orwell was his pen name, his real one being Eric Arthur Blair

"1984" is a brilliant book but so, so bleak. It's very difficult to re-read knowing how it ends.

I loved his essays - especially on the nature of the English people.

Down and Out in Paris and London is probably my favourite Orwell book. His powers of description were amazing. Of his novels The Clergyman's Daughter and Coming Up for Air both rank highly for me.

None of his other novels really do much for me. I admire the writing but they leave me a bit cold. His journalism and reportage on the other hand I love and can read over and over. As well as "Down And Out", "Homage To Catalonia" and "Road To WIgan Pier" are just mesmerising reading. He get his ideas over with such clarity and precision. His non-fiction writing is the standard that all others should be held up to but very few match.

[Moonraker]

I'm enjoying this "three favourite authors" thread (or sometimes more than three!) It's interesting to see which authors have made a real impression on people.

The problem is that three authors isn't really enough to judge an impression. It seems obvious (although, strangely, two people haven't) that Enid will be featured, so it only leaves two others to pick. I have been impressed by many authors, and to get a true flavour, I would probably like to see people's top ten.

[Katharine]

One of the difficulties with this topic is how do we judge our favourite authors? I've put Agatha Christie, and I like some of her books more than others, but as she wrote so many, it's easy to forget the ones I'm not so keen on, and just think of all her best ones. Another author might only have produced one or two books I like, so I wouldn't think of them straight away.

I did consider putting Tolkien, but I've only read The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings.

[Moonraker]

As long as you didn't put Isa*irye.

[floragord]

I did consider putting Tolkien, but I've only read The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings.

I'm awed by anyone who can read through THE SILMARILLION - usually I manage to start so I'll finish but had to give up on this one...

[rosy_posy]

Oh, but the Silmarillion is amazing... it takes a bit of effort to keep track of who's who, but apart from that it's a wonderful read. I once read it aloud to my sister!

[John Pickup]

Perhaps we could extend the choice to five. I put Alastair MacLean third but it was a close run thing with Frank Richards.

[Lucky Star]

I could also have added Alastair MacLean, Hammond Innes, Frank Richrds and Richmal Crompton and probably many others. The results for everyone would probably be different if the question was asked again in a few months. Rather like the even thornier "favourite book" question.

[floragord]

Oh, but the Silmarillion is amazing... it takes a bit of effort to keep track of who's who, but apart from that it's a wonderful read. I once read it aloud to my sister!

I'm definitely awed Rosy Posy, more so that you read it aloud!

[Farwa]

Who's the author of The Silmarillion?

[floragord]

Its J R R Tolkien Farwa - the above is not as famous as THE HOBBIT and LORD OF THE RINGS which are now hugely popular films too.