This was begun by Simon at Stuck-in-a-book, but I saw it first at A Work in Progress. Upon a bit of research, I see that many others have given this a go; Juxtabook, LizzySiddal, Kirsty, Iliana, and Litlove, among others.
The goal of this is to list favourite authors according to last name (with a representative fave book as well). Here's mine, though with the caveat that it was really difficult to fit everyone in. I kept thinking of more authors with names beginning with the letters I'd already filled, and how can a decision be made between two or four or eight favourites? But I finally chose a few, and have included some of the children's books I've loved for a long time. This meme provided much entertaining rumination over the past couple of days, so thanks Simon!
Austen, Jane / Pride and Prejudice
Byatt, A.S. / Possession
Collins, Wilkie / Armadale
Dickens, Charles / Our Mutual Friend
Erdrich, Louise / Tracks, or maybe The Painted Drum
Farjeon, Eleanor / The Little Bookroom (stories and poems)
Gaskell, Elizabeth / Wives & Daughters
Hardy, Thomas / Return of the Native, or, Far from the Madding Crowd
Itani, Francis / Remembering the Bones
James, Henry / The Bostonians
Kulyk Keefer, Janice / The Green Library
L'Engle, Madeleine / A Ring of Endless Light
Montgomery, LMM / Emily of New Moon, or Mistress Pat, or The Blue Castle, or even Anne of Green Gables
Norton, Mary / The Borrowers
Ozeki, Ruth / My Year of Meats
Proust / In Search of lost time (not to be pretentious; I loved reading this book)
Q **edit: just thought of one, duh** Quarrington, Paul / Whale Music
Rocquebrune, Robert de / Testament of my childhood (a memoir, but I really like it)
Smith, Alexander McCall / everything, but especially his Dream Angus (Canongate myths series)
Tan, Amy / The Joy Luck Club
Uttley, Alison / The Country Child
Von Arnim, Elizabeth / Enchanted April
Webb, Mary / The House in Dormer Forest
X ???
Yoshimoto, Banana / Kitchen
Zafon, Carlos Ruiz / Shadow of the Wind (ok, I know I'm splitting his last name, but I need a Z!)
Like many, I'm having difficulty with Q & X. Any suggestions welcome!
I love reading these lists! And yours is full of books I haven't heard of. I notice that The Bostonians is there and I'd been thinking I ought to tackle a longer Henry James work. Perhaps here's a good place to begin.
ReplyDeleteWhat a fun meme! I must play around with my collection on LibraryThing to generate a list. I was glad to see Elizabeth Gaskell and Wilkie Collins on your list though.
ReplyDeleteThis meme is great. I have seen it on several book bloggers sites. I may have to take a stab at it myself!
ReplyDeleteLitlove - I find The Bostonians easier going than some others, and the characterizations are great.
ReplyDeleteJill - Mrs. Gaskell is amazing!
Jennyellen - do try it, it was entertaining. I'd be interested to see what your choices are.
Great to see another set! And nice to see The Borrowers, too - I used to love the TV series, but, shockingly, I'm not sure I ever read the books. Not too late to rectify...
ReplyDelete