Over 35: Favorite Authors of All Time (50 books)

Favorite authors of all time as voted on by readers at least 35 years old.

Guidelines:
  • What? Rules? These will hopefully preserve a useful, quality list of good authors.
  • Do not vote here if you are not at least 35 years old.
  • Please do not select/add any authors unless you have read at least a few authors on the list.
  • Please do not select/add any author unless you have read and liked at least two of their books.
  • This is not a list for your favorite book.
  • If an author wrote only one notable book ... do not add them to this list.
  • This is for authors of good books (plural) ... a touchstone for good reading.
  • Please do not add an author who is already on the list.
  • Please do not add an author who is already on the list with a different book/edition.
  • If adding an author, please select their most popular/well-known book (not a series).
  • We are aiming for an author's most-recognized book, not their best/highest-rated best book.
  • We want their most-recognized work ... even if you haven't read that particular book.
  • When you click on an authors link, the book at the top of their list is generally the most popular.
  • The top book on the authors list is sometimes not their most popular/well-known.
  • If you're certain another book is more-recognized (top 3, nearly as many ratings as most), OK.
  • Please do not select an esoteric/unrecognizable edition of an author's book.
  • The edition at the top of the list of all editions is usually a decent pick.
  • The first edition hardcopy, or paperback, are usually decent picks.
  • Sometimes, artwork is usefully better in a paperback, anniversary, or movie release edition.
  • We're aiming for an edition that is recognizable, has clear font, and the authors name is legible.

Over 35 lists:
Over 35: Favorite Authors of All Time
Over 35: Best Books of All Time
Over 35: Best Books of the 21st Century
Over 35: Best Books of the 2010s

Men Over 35 lists:
Men Over 35: Favorite Authors of All Time
Men Over 35: Best Books of All Time
Men Over 35: Best Books of the 21st Century
Men Over 35: Best Books of the 2000s
Men Over 35: Best Books of the 2010s
Men Over 35: Best Books of the 2020s

General lists (for comparison):
Best Authors Ever
Best Books Ever
Best Books of the 21st Century

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All Votes Add Books To This List

1	Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare 3.74 avg rating — 2,792,225 ratings score: 466, and 5 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
2	Into the Wild by Jon Krakauer (Goodreads Author) 4.02 avg rating — 1,178,053 ratings score: 398, and 4 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
3	Far From the Madding Crowd by Thomas Hardy 3.97 avg rating — 164,611 ratings score: 392, and 4 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
4	Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen 4.29 avg rating — 4,712,285 ratings score: 391, and 4 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
5	Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier 4.25 avg rating — 712,545 ratings score: 387, and 4 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
6	East of Eden by John Steinbeck 4.43 avg rating — 619,230 ratings score: 370, and 4 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
7	1984 by George Orwell 4.20 avg rating — 5,333,244 ratings score: 284, and 3 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
8	The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver 4.11 avg rating — 786,771 ratings score: 283, and 3 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
9	The Hobbit, or There and Back Again by J.R.R. Tolkien 4.30 avg rating — 4,396,494 ratings score: 277, and 3 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
10	The Snow Child by Eowyn Ivey (Goodreads Author) 4.01 avg rating — 168,874 ratings score: 275, and 3 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
11	The Last Kingdom (The Saxon Stories, #1) by Bernard Cornwell (Goodreads Author) 4.27 avg rating — 110,577 ratings score: 272, and 3 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
12	The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah (Goodreads Author) 4.64 avg rating — 1,995,158 ratings score: 269, and 3 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
13	Room by Emma Donoghue (Goodreads Author) 4.08 avg rating — 829,947 ratings score: 266, and 3 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
14	Jurassic Park (Jurassic Park, #1) by Michael Crichton 4.13 avg rating — 1,047,189 ratings score: 198, and 2 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
15	The Da Vinci Code (Robert Langdon, #2) by Dan Brown (Goodreads Author) 3.93 avg rating — 2,497,840 ratings score: 193, and 2 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
15	And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie 4.27 avg rating — 1,576,535 ratings score: 193, and 2 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
17	Jassy / Bless This House / Scent of Cloves / How Far to Bethlehem? by Norah Lofts 4.62 avg rating — 34 ratings score: 188, and 2 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
18	Outliers: The Story of Success by Malcolm Gladwell 4.19 avg rating — 855,180 ratings score: 187, and 2 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
19	The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo (Millennium, #1) by Stieg Larsson 4.17 avg rating — 3,410,859 ratings score: 182, and 2 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
20	The Woman in White by Wilkie Collins 4.01 avg rating — 164,298 ratings score: 180, and 2 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
21	A Game of Thrones (A Song of Ice and Fire, #1) by George R.R. Martin 4.45 avg rating — 2,701,184 ratings score: 177, and 2 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
22	Year of Wonders by Geraldine Brooks (Goodreads Author) 4.01 avg rating — 173,576 ratings score: 176, and 2 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
23	The Last Picture Show by Larry McMurtry 4.01 avg rating — 20,868 ratings score: 99, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
23	Middlemarch by George Eliot 4.03 avg rating — 177,110 ratings score: 99, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
25	The Hunt for Red October (Jack Ryan, #3) by Tom Clancy 4.12 avg rating — 386,906 ratings score: 98, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
25	Still Life (Chief Inspector Armand Gamache, #1) by Louise Penny (Goodreads Author) 3.90 avg rating — 278,982 ratings score: 98, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
27	The Martian by Andy Weir (Goodreads Author) 4.42 avg rating — 1,261,384 ratings score: 97, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
27	Nobody's Fool (Sully #1) by Richard Russo (Goodreads Author) 4.11 avg rating — 32,459 ratings score: 97, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
29	Couples by John Updike 3.58 avg rating — 5,801 ratings score: 95, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
29	Burial Rites by Hannah Kent (Goodreads Author) 4.04 avg rating — 122,624 ratings score: 95, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
31	The Big Sleep (Philip Marlowe, #1) by Raymond Chandler 3.94 avg rating — 166,566 ratings score: 94, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
31	Full Tilt: Ireland to India with a Bicycle by Dervla Murphy 4.06 avg rating — 4,539 ratings score: 94, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
33	Get Shorty (Chili Palmer, #1) by Elmore Leonard 3.96 avg rating — 24,918 ratings score: 93, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
33	The Observations by Jane Harris 3.62 avg rating — 7,415 ratings score: 93, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
35	Band of Brothers: E Company, 506th Regiment, 101st Airborne from Normandy to Hitler's Eagle's Nest by Stephen E. Ambrose 4.44 avg rating — 137,339 ratings score: 92, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
36	Misquoting Jesus: The Story Behind Who Changed the Bible and Why by Bart D. Ehrman 3.93 avg rating — 20,171 ratings score: 91, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
36	An Instance of the Fingerpost by Iain Pears 3.94 avg rating — 26,890 ratings score: 91, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
38	The Big Short: Inside the Doomsday Machine by Michael Lewis 4.30 avg rating — 169,313 ratings score: 88, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
38	American Gods: Tenth Anniversary (American Gods, #1) by Neil Gaiman (Goodreads Author) 4.10 avg rating — 984,694 ratings score: 88, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
40	Little House on the Prairie (Little House, #3) by Laura Ingalls Wilder 4.21 avg rating — 300,608 ratings score: 87, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
40	Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers by Mary Roach 4.06 avg rating — 237,113 ratings score: 87, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
42	Me Talk Pretty One Day by David Sedaris 4.01 avg rating — 717,085 ratings score: 86, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
43	Who Wrote the Bible? by Richard Elliott Friedman 4.12 avg rating — 6,348 ratings score: 85, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
44	The Name of the Wind (The Kingkiller Chronicle, #1) by Patrick Rothfuss (Goodreads Author) 4.52 avg rating — 1,065,490 ratings score: 84, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
45	Mistborn: The Final Empire (Mistborn, #1) by Brandon Sanderson (Goodreads Author) 4.49 avg rating — 933,529 ratings score: 82, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
46	Red Rising (Red Rising Saga, #1) by Pierce Brown (Goodreads Author) 4.27 avg rating — 709,898 ratings score: 81, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
47	The Hunger Games (The Hunger Games, #1) by Suzanne Collins 4.35 avg rating — 9,731,240 ratings score: 80, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
48	All Systems Red (The Murderbot Diaries, #1) by Martha Wells (Goodreads Author) 4.12 avg rating — 352,397 ratings score: 79, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
49	Zealot: The Life and Times of Jesus of Nazareth by Reza Aslan 3.86 avg rating — 72,502 ratings score: 78, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
50	Dark Matter by Blake Crouch (Goodreads Author) 4.13 avg rating — 691,296 ratings score: 77, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars