Tuesday, July 12, 2011

Authors I'd Love To Meet

A Top Ten Tuesday meme from The Broke and The Bookish

Authors are amazing, aren't they? They're like magicians. Good authors see things and understand things in such a way that they get inside your head and become part of you for a short while. You find yourself nodding your head, cringing, or applauding, as a way of saying, Yes! I get that! I completely understand where this author is coming from. The word choice, the pauses, the dialogue, the characters, the scenery, the story, all of it flows seamlessly along to create an alternate reality that you can turn on and off with the opening and closing of a book. And the best books are the ones that linger even after you've put them down.

Meeting an author would be a little intimidating at first, I think. If reading their books is like they're getting into my head, then what would meeting them in person be like? *gah* I'd have to take a few deep breaths and a glass of wine, but here are some authors I would love (have loved) to meet.

1. Emily Carr  (1871-1945) is better know for her artwork, but she wrote some pretty fabulous books as well. And being a bit of a rebel as far as Victorian culture goes, she would be a really interesting and fun person to meet.

2. Barbara Kingsolver. I love everything this woman writes. I would even love to read her shopping list.

3. Bill Bryson. Funny! Is a master of irony and the turn-of-phrase.

4. Joseph Boyden. Fabulous story teller. Great writing. Loved both his books.

5. David Sedaris. Funny and simpatico.

6. Diane Setterfield. The Thirteenth Tale - 'nuff said.

7. Ernest Hemingway. (1899-1961) I can't even say I like all of his stories, but I do consider him some kind of genius.

8. Daphne DuMaurier. (1907-1989) I've only just recently discovered her, but after reading Rebecca, I'm smitten.

9. Cormac McCarthy. I've only read The Road so far, but I would love to meet the author that can create that kind of atmosphere.

10. Bram Stoker (1847-1912). Dracula! Speaking of atmosphere . . .

Previous Top Tens:
~Literary Settings
~Books I'm Glad Were Recommended to Me
~Favorite Places To Read
~Books That Should Be Made Into Movies
~Bookish Pet Peeves

16 comments:

Random House of Canada said...

Great post! I'd love to meet Ernest Hemingway as well!

Misha said...

Seeing your list, I realized that I missed out on so many authors on my list - Diane Setterfield, Barbara Kingsolver and Daphne DuMaurier. Great picks!

Alexis @ Reflections of a Bookaholic said...

Very interesting list. Mostly because I haven't read alot of these. I would want to meet daphne DuMaurier as well.

B said...

Good call on David Sedaris. He would be hilarious to meet in person.

Laurie said...

David Sedaris: Great choice!! And I'm not that familiar with Emily Carr (yet). Thanks for the tip. I'm off to check out Boyden's work, on your recommendation.
Thanks for this stellar list!

Christine said...

David Sedaris- good one! Cormac would also be great to talk to- for some reason I picture him as Clint Eastwood.

TheJennaGirl said...

Oh man, David Sedaris would be awesome! I bet you'd be laughing the whole time.

Nay said...

I've always wanted to read Cormac McCarthy...great list to you too!

Tara said...

Yes! You are the second person I've found to mention Bill Bryson. Love him so much. Great list :)

Tracy said...

From your list I'd love to meet Barbara Kingsolver and Bill Bryson, too. But my number one would be, no surprises here, Jane Austen.

Bekka said...

Bram Stoker! How could I have forgotten!?

KarenSi said...

I am kicking myself that I missed out Barbara Kingsolver. Great list.

Deb Nance at Readerbuzz said...

I'd love to meet and talk with Bill Bryson. And it's interesting to see how many people put Ernest Hemingway on their lists!

Yvette said...

I would also love to meet Bram Stoker and David Sedaris. They would definitely have gone on my expanded list. :)

Lots of food for thought, here, Trish.

Two Bibliomaniacs said...

I so wish I would have had room on my list for Setterfield and Du Mauier. Two amazing authors!!!

Carol said...

Great choices.

I am surprised we have not seen anything else from Diane Setterfield since The Thirteenth Tale :(

carol