Who is your favourite author except Enid?

[lizarfau]

My favourites are:

Adult:
Peter Robinson
Val McDermid
Elizabeth George
Ruth Rendell
LP Hartley's The Go-Between

Children's:
Antonia Forest
Tim Kennemore
Elinor M. Brent-Dyer
Malcolm Saville
K.M. Peyton

[Tweenid]

My favourite authors include:
JG Ballard
Phillip K.Dick
Arthur C.Clarke
and John Wyndham.So a slightly sci-fi/dystopian scenario going on there.
Oddly enough I have not read that many other childrens' authors work!

[Julie2owlsdene]

As a child I only read Enid Blyton, so don't have another favourite author.

As for now, I go in for light reading, a book that grabs me with its first few pages, and the author doesn't go in for boring explanations, that veer away from the plot. I have read one or two Daphne Du Mauria, but only because the lady herself lived down here, and most of her books were based in Cornwall.
Erica James is the only other books I read. She holds the reader with every word, and puts her work across simply and interesting. A really good read.

[Lucky Star]

My fave childrens authors other than Blyton are;

Capt. W E Johns
Richmal Crompton

My fave adult authors are;

Alastair Maclean
Hammond Innes
Irvine Welsh
Terry Pratchett
Sven Hassell
John King

I also read a lot of 20th century historical books of which Martin Gilbert and Antony Beevor are excellent.

[Anita Bensoussane]

I've read a number of John Wyndham novels and enjoyed them, Tweenid, and I keep meaning to try Arthur C. Clarke but have never got round to it. I do remember being enthralled by the TV series Arthur C. Clarke's Mysterious World, shown in the early 1980s. I haven't heard anything of him for years. Is he still alive?

Anita

[Tweenid]

As far as I know Mr Clarke is still alive,aged 89,still living in Sri Lanka.
The novels of his I would recommend are the "Rama" series,which is truly astounding and "The Fountains of Paradise".
John Wyndham wrote a lovely ,not that well known novel called "Chocky" which was very well serialised on television for children some years ago,followed by two non-Wyndham sequels,all of which are great viewing.

[Anita Bensoussane]

Thanks for the information, Tweenid. I've read Chocky as well as The Midwich Cuckoos, Trouble with Lichen and The Day of the Triffids. I haven't seen the TV adaptation of Chocky but I recall watching The Day of the Triffids on TV as a child and being quite scared by it!

Anita

[Stephen]

Arthur C. Clarke once categorically stated he would reach 100 in some article I once read. Several of his relatives had done so, and he was convinced he would be able to do the same. I don't think he's in the best of health at the moment, but his mind is as active as ever.

Rendezvous with Rama is a stunning piece of work, though I was never able to get into the sequels which start off as Dynasty in space!

[Petermax]

Like many on this forum I have read Richmal Crompton and Anthony Buckeridge many times. In addition I am partial to John Wyndham (Day of the Triffids) and Barry Hines (Kes, Threads), Harper Lee (To Kill a Mockingbird) and Elleston Trevor (The Flight of the Phoenix) thanks largely to my English teacher back in the very early 1980s.

I too have read Northern Lights but to appreciate it fully one should also read the two other books in Philip Pullman's Dark Materials trilogy, The Subtle Knife and The Amber Spyglass. Northern Lights merely sets the scene, the story only really takes off in the second book.

EDIT 27/10/07 I of course meant The Amber Spyglass, not The Golden Compass.

[Anita Bensoussane]

[Petermax:] I too have read Northern Lights but to appreciate it fully one should also read the two other books in Philip Pullman's Dark Materials trilogy, The Subtle Knife and the Golden Compass. Northern Lights merely sets the scene, the story only really takes off in the second book.

I agree, Petermax. I read the Dark Materials trilogy a few years ago and found it very imaginative but I wasn't hooked until partway through the second book. The daemons fascinated me, as did the subtle knife and the way it was used.

Anita

[Tony Summerfield]

I too have read Northern Lights but to appreciate it fully one should also read the two other books in Philip Pullman's Dark Materials trilogy, The Subtle Knife and the Golden Compass. Northern Lights merely sets the scene, the story only really takes off in the second book.

Yes, I will read The Subtle Knife and The Amber Spyglass - I have them at the ready, I just wasn't sufficiently motivated to go straight on. I suspect that the film title, The Golden Compass, was used as the makers felt that the word Alethiometer was a bit complicated for Americans! Remember that Philosopher's Stone had to be changed into Sorcerer's Stone for American consumption!

[Mollybob]

I read The Amber Spyclass, but wasn't particularly taken with it.

I've just thought of another "adult" author I really like. Has anyone else read Nancy Mitford's books? They're so funny they have me laughing out loud

[Lucky Star]

I read The Amber Spyclass, but wasn't particularly taken with it.

I've just thought of another "adult" author I really like. Has anyone else read Nancy Mitford's books? They're so funny they have me laughing out loud

I have'nt read any of hers but I do like Carl Hiaasen, an American author. His books are also laugh out loud funny.

[manzanita]

Life here isn't that bad!

Viv

Sorry, I meant the people in the book, not the way things are now!

Manzy

[Petermax]

Yes, I will read The Subtle Knife and The Amber Spyglass - I have them at the ready, I just wasn't sufficiently motivated to go straight on. I suspect that the film title, The Golden Compass, was used as the makers felt that the word Alethiometer was a bit complicated for Americans!

I was of course referring to The Amber Spyglass but in error typed in The Golden Compass. Northern Lights is the UK title of the first book in His Dark Materials Trilogy but in the USA is known as The Golden Compass.

Rumour has it that the US book publishers of HDM chose this title due to the Alethiometer pictured on the front cover of Northern Lights, it strongly resembled a compass......