UK Book Club discussion

Here's a link to the Times list: http://entertainment.timesonline.co.u...
And this is a list of all the authors on it:
1) Philip Larkin
2) George Orwell
3) William Golding
4) Ted Hughes
5) Doris Lessing
6) J.R.R. Tolkien
7) V.S. Naipaul
8) Muriel Spark
9) Kingsley Amis
10) Angela Carter
11) C.S. Lewis
12) Iris Murdoch
13) Salman Rushdie
14) Ian Fleming
15) Jan Morris
16) Roald Dahl
17) Anthony Burgess
18) Mervyn Peake
19) Martin Amis
20) Anthony Powell
21) Alan Sillitoe
22) John le Carre
23) Penelope Fitzgerald
24) Philippa Pearce
25) Barbara Pym
26) Beryl Bainbridge
27) J.G. Ballard
28) Alan Garner
29) Alasdair Gray
30) John Fowles
31) Derek Walcott
32) Kazuo Ishiguro
33) Anita Brookner
34) A.S. Byatt
35) Ian McEwan
36) Geoffrey Hill
37) Hanif Kureishi
38) Iain Banks
39) George MacKay Brown
40) A.J.P. Taylor
41) Isaiah Berlin
42) J.K. Rowling
43) Philip Pullman
44) Julian Barnes
45) Colin Thubron
46) Bruce Chatwin
47) Alice Oswald
48) Benjamin Zephaniah
49) Rosemary Sutcliff
50) Michael Moorcock

If anyone wants to participate in a challenge where they try to read a book by each author then you can post your progress on here or start a new topic or something if ya like :)

Well there are a few names on the list I'd not heard of:
Jan Morris, Alasdair Gray, Derek Walcott, Geoffrey Hill, Isaiah Berlin, Colin Thubron, Bruce Chatwin, Alice Oswald & Michael Moorcock.

Am I the only one who's never heard of them????

I just looked them up - half of them are poets - (school did a fine job, turning me off poetry...) there's a couple of travel writers, a fantasy writer & a biographer. Shows where my reading gaps are!!!!

There's alot of names on the list I've heard of but never read and I'm happy to try them!

I've heard of Alice Oswald but not the others. There are more that I haven't heard of though!

Jo wrote: "I haven't heard of many of the names on the list. J G Ballard is one that i will be reading a lot of this year."

Why J G Ballard?

Ahh fair enough!! I haven't had much of a look at a lot of these authors yet, will have to do some research when I get home from uni :)

I went through the list and using amazon found a book from each author but one! I have read a few of the authors so won't read them again!

William Golding - Lord of the Flies
Doris Lessing - 5th Child
Rauld Dahl - Charlie and The Chocolate Factory/Great Glass Elevator
Ian McEwen - On Chesil Beach
JRR Tolkein - LOTR/Hobbit/Children of Hurin
George Orwell - Animal Farm
J K Rowling - Harry Poter 1-7
Phillip Pullman - Amber Spy Glass series

I do own a few of the other authors books so will definitely read them soon.

I've read 23 of the 50 authors here, which I recon's pretty good!
I might see if I can knock off any of my remaining A-Z's with the others....

Lynne - was Alice in Wonderland not Lewis Carroll? I thought CS Lewis wrote Chronicles of Narnia..?

And that is good Liz!

Ooops My mistook! I have been up all night so brain is not in gear!

I've read 18 of them so plenty left to try eh! I've read a couple of Bruce Chatwin books. The Songlines is a travel book about aboriginal myths and history and was very interesting but I really preferred a novel he wrote called On the Black Hill about identical twins lifetime in a small village (would you believe) in the Black Hills. Haven't read it for years but it's one I'd like to read again

I've heard of On the Black Hill wasn't it made into a film quite a while back?

Yeah, you're right. There was a film. I did see once but can't remember if it's good or not.

I've had a look through the books I've read and have only read books from 7 of these authors! Though I have read more than one book from these 7.

Can't speak for anyone else, but I reckon I got about 15 year headstart when it comes to reading - I doubt I'd read anyone apart from the childrens authors when I was 20 and come to think of it, JK Rowling hadn't even invented Harry Potter back then!

I keep quiet about my age.... but it may also account for the fact I've read quite a bit....

Hey Zoe, Any thoughts about the monthly book for April? Could chose another author from the 50 greatest writers or a theme (eg historical fiction)?

Heya, sorry I'm a bit behind with everything on here at the mo! I'll make sure to come online tomorrow morning and we can all think of a book for April :)

Does anyone have any suggestions as to what they want to read with the group?

Are we going to look at the greatest British writers list again? I have wanted to read The Remains of the Day for while.... also, I bought a complete set of Roald Dahl for the kids (honest)! The set did include Going Solo and Boy: Tales of Childhood which I think are more auto-biographical and for adults - I try to read something other than fiction once in a while. I'd be happy to read others though...

Have read 38 of them (but I am 60!). Not sure of the criteria here - all write in English, but not necessarily of British origin; however, it excludes American writers.

It amuses me that detective novels are always overlooked until someone suddenly decides they are worth considering. So, no PD James, Jill Paton Walsh, Val McDermid; no Susan Hill although she writes across genres.
Whilst I accept the subject is "writers" not "storytellers" - not Jilly Cooper or Catherine Cookson? Not H.E. Bates or Paul Gallico? Any of those can keep a page turning!

Interestingly as mentioned the lack of Crime and thriller writers and also the popular Genre of adventure writers.

I suggest an alternative list
A ---Jeffrey Archer
carry on

If anyone's looking for a fresh challenge to start the New Year, how about reading the 50 Greatest British writers since 1945 (according to The Times)?

Knowing me, it would take more than a year! (Especially as I'm doing the genre challenge and the around the world challenge!

If you haven't read Zoe's original post, here's the list:
1) Philip Larkin
2) George Orwell
3) William Golding
4) Ted Hughes
5) Doris Lessing
6) J.R.R. Tolkien
7) V.S. Naipaul
8) Muriel Spark
9) Kingsley Amis
10) Angela Carter
11) C.S. Lewis
12) Iris Murdoch
13) Salman Rushdie
14) Ian Fleming
15) Jan Morris
16) Roald Dahl
17) Anthony Burgess
18) Mervyn Peake
19) Martin Amis
20) Anthony Powell
21) Alan Sillitoe
22) John le Carre
23) Penelope Fitzgerald
24) Philippa Pearce
25) Barbara Pym
26) Beryl Bainbridge
27) J.G. Ballard
28) Alan Garner
29) Alasdair Gray
30) John Fowles
31) Derek Walcott
32) Kazuo Ishiguro
33) Anita Brookner
34) A.S. Byatt
35) Ian McEwan
36) Geoffrey Hill
37) Hanif Kureishi
38) Iain Banks
39) George MacKay Brown
40) A.J.P. Taylor
41) Isaiah Berlin
42) J.K. Rowling
43) Philip Pullman
44) Julian Barnes
45) Colin Thubron
46) Bruce Chatwin
47) Alice Oswald
48) Benjamin Zephaniah
49) Rosemary Sutcliff
50) Michael Moorcock

BTW How come it includes Ian Fleming, but excludes Graham Greene?

I really don't know! IF not at all a good writer IMO, but I guess the originator of the Bond franchise had to get a mention. GG a bit tortuous, but much, much better.
I'm passing on this challenge, as I don't fancy any that I haven't actually read. And although I have moaned about some inclusions, I am glad to see the often-overlooked Rosemary Sutcliff included as well as dear Barbara Pym.
Can I say that if anyone hasn't heard Benjamin Zephaniah with The Imagined Village doing his re-working of Tam Lynn, then try to do so - it is stunning. By co-incidence the other day I heard Anne Brigg's unaccompanied singing of the opriginal, Sandy denny & Fairport Convention rocking it up, and BZ taking the story to new places, wonderful!

Liz - know what you mean re Graham Greene, he's excellent.

Like Jacky I shall probably pass on this challenge. I've read about 60% of the list so feel I have made some headway...But I can't bear to read JRR Tolkein. Have tried and miserably failed that test. Haven't seen the films either. Just not my cup of tea. And the others? Well I can't forsee it in future.

Interesting list all the same. I like this kind of thing...

I've read books/poetry by 26 of these authors and there are still some on the list whose work I intend to read:
Doris Lessing, V.S. Naipaul, Angela Carter, Salman Rushdie and Iain Banks especially.

Lists like these are subjective. I have read two of those authors although I have been a reader (as well as a writer) for years. Hammond Innes? Wilbur Smith? C.J. Sansom? Nigel Tranter? My list would go on and on but would probably only include a couple of names that others might agree with.

Think will wait for THE SUN top 10

Zoe wrote: "Here's a link to the Times list: http://entertainment.timesonline.co.u...
And this is a list of all the authors on it:
1) [author:Philip Larkin|647..."

I have not heard the others either except Jan Morris. Her (his) books are now seen often in used bookstores in the states. S/he has a way with words in travelling writing. I read several of his books. Even not one of those grands, but I am surprised that he is so little known in UK. Possibly he mainly wrote traveling; or his sex change? Either way, his writing is superb.

Glad to see Angela Carter on the list. Been my favourite author forever but nobody seems to share my enthusiasm! I would also put Joanne Harris and Jane Harris on the list too. Excellent writers and storytellers.

Oh and would also have put Isabelle Allende, Michelle Lovric and Karen Maitland on the list.

Linda wrote: "Oh and would also have put Isabelle Allende, Michelle Lovric and Karen Maitland on the list."

Without doubts Allende is great, but I think the list is "British writers". Spanish is her mother tongue even though she is living in California now.

I share your enthusiasm for Angela Carter! So that's at least two of us... also I love Isabelle Allende too - the magical realism is clearly my thing! I thought the list was of British writers - I could be wrong - it's a while since I visited this thread and I've forgotten the details!

Has this list ever been updated? I've just discovered and wonder if an updated list has been provided by The Times as the original list was in 2010... This will definitely give me another group of authors to explore; there are a few I've not heard of.

Starting with Michael Moorcock, suggestions please of the best of his work to read. I've read very little poetry so will be interesting as I work from bottom to top of this list how I feel about the poets. Planning on trying one book from each on the list a month, none of the authors have I read all of their work. Several I have read none, looking forward to the read into the unknown.

Where's Graham Greene? I'd have him in the top ten...

I don't know if there is a newer list. I'm surprised Neil Gaiman isn't on there.

Where's J.I.M. Stewart/Michael Innes?

I will have a go though it will probably take several years.

18/50

1) Philip Larkin
2) George Orwell - 1984 & Burmese Days
3) William Golding - Lord of the Flies
4) Ted Hughes - How the Whale Became and Other Stories
5) Doris Lessing -
6) J.R.R. Tolkien - The Hobbit
7) V.S. Naipaul - A Bend in the River
8) Muriel Spark
9) Kingsley Amis
10) Angela Carter -
11) C.S. Lewis - The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
12) Iris Murdoch
13) Salman Rushdie
14) Ian Fleming -
15) Jan Morris
16) Roald Dahl - The Magic Finger
17) Anthony Burgess
18) Mervyn Peake
19) Martin Amis
20) Anthony Powell
21) Alan Sillitoe - Saturday Night and Sunday Morning
22) John le Carre
23) Penelope Fitzgerald
24) Philippa Pearce - Tom's Midnight Garden
25) Barbara Pym
26) Beryl Bainbridge
27) J.G. Ballard - The Day of Forever
28) Alan Garner - The Owl Service
29) Alasdair Gray
30) John Fowles - The French Lieutenant's Woman
31) Derek Walcott
32) Kazuo Ishiguro - Never Let Me Go
33) Anita Brookner - Hotel du Lac
34) A.S. Byatt - The Virgin in the Garden
35) Ian McEwan -
36) Geoffrey Hill
37) Hanif Kureishi
38) Iain Banks
39) George MacKay Brown
40) A.J.P. Taylor
41) Isaiah Berlin
42) J.K. Rowling - Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
43) Philip Pullman - The Golden Compass
44) Julian Barnes
45) Colin Thubron
46) Bruce Chatwin
47) Alice Oswald
48) Benjamin Zephaniah
49) Rosemary Sutcliff - The Eagle of the Ninth
50) Michael Moorcock

As a teen I read several Ian Fleming's Bond books but cannot for the life of me remember which ones!

I'd forgotten about this thread! I must get back and fill in some gaps....

1) Philip Larkin
2) George Orwell - 1984, Animal Farm
3) William Golding – Lord of the Flies
4) Ted Hughes
5) Doris Lessing
6) J.R.R. Tolkien – The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings Trilogy
7) V.S. Naipaul -
8) Muriel Spark – The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie
9) Kingsley Amis – Stanley and the Women
10) Angela Carter
11) C.S. Lewis _ The Narnia series, Mere Christianity, Surprised by Joy, A Grief Observed, The Screwtape Letters
12) Iris Murdoch - An Unofficial Rose
13) Salman Rushdie
14) Ian Fleming – Dr. No, From Russia With Love, Gold Finger
15) Jan Morris
16) Roald Dahl – The Twits, The Witches, Boy, The Magic Finger, Fantastic Mr. Fox, Danny, the Champion of the World
17) Anthony Burgess
18) Mervyn Peake
19) Martin Amis
20) Anthony Powell
21) Alan Sillitoe – The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner, Saturday Night and Sunday Morning
22) John le Carre - The Spy Who Came in From the Cold, Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy, Smiley’s People, The Constant Gardener
23) Penelope Fitzgerald - The Bookshop
24) Philippa Pearce - Tom’s Midnight Garden
25) Barbara Pym
26) Beryl Bainbridge - An Awfully Big Adventure, The Birthday Boys
27) J.G. Ballard - Empire of the Sun
28) Alan Garner - The Weirdstone of Brisingamen, Elidor, Red Shift, The Owl Service, The Moon of Gomrath,
29) Alasdair Gray
30) John Fowles - The French Lieutenant’s Woman, The Magus, The Collector
31) Derek Walcott
32) Kazuo Ishiguro -The Remains of the Day, Never Let Me Go
33) Anita Brookner
34) A.S. Byatt - The Virgin in the Garden
35) Ian McEwen - Atonement, Amsterdam
36) Geoffrey Hill
37) Hanif Kurdish - The Buddha of Suburbia
38) Iain Banks
39) George MacKay Brown
41) Isaiah Berlin
42) J.K. Rowling - The Harry Potter series
43) Philip Pullman - His Dark Materials Trilogy, The Book of Dust
44) Julian Barnes
45) Colin Thubron
46) Bruce Chatwin
47) Alice Oswald
48) Benjamin Zephaniah - Refugee Boy
49) Rosemary Sutcliff - Eagle of the Ninth, The Lantern Bearers, The Silver Branch, Sword at Sunset
50) Michael Moorcock

Still got a few to read!
Philip Larkin
Ted Hughes
Doris Lessing
V.S. Naipaul
Angela Carter
Salman Rushdie
Jan Morris
Anthony Burgess
Mervyn Peake
Martin Amis
Anthony Powell
Barbara Pym
Alasdair Gray
Derek Walcott
Anita Brookner
Geoffrey Hill
Iain Banks
George Mackay Brown
Isaiah Berlin
Julian Barnes
Colin Thubron
Bruce Chatwin
Alice Oswald
Michael Moorcock

Sometimes I think these lists should be titled "Best-Publicized Writers of . . ." {whatever era being covered}.

1) Philip Larkin
2) George Orwell - 1984, Animal Farm, Down and Out in Paris and London, Burmese Days,
3) William Golding – Lord of the Flies
4) Ted Hughes
5) Doris Lessing
6) J.R.R. Tolkien – The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings Trilogy
7) V.S. Naipaul - A House for Mr. Biswas, The Mimic Men
8) Muriel Spark –
9) Kingsley Amis – The Green Man, The Riverside Villas Murder, I Want it Now and The Anti-Death League
10) Angela Carter
11) C.S. Lewis _ The Narnia series
12) Iris Murdoch -
13) Salman Rushdie
14) Ian Fleming – Most of the 007 books
15) Jan Morris
16) Roald Dahl – Tales of the Unexpected
17) Anthony Burgess - A Clockwork Orange, Nothing Like the Sun
18) Mervyn Peake
19) Martin Amis
20) Anthony Powell
21) Alan Sillitoe – The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner
22) John le Carre - The Spy Who Came in From the Cold, Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy, Smiley’s People, The Constant Gardener, A Small Town in Germany, Call for the Dead, Our Kind of Traitor,
23) Penelope Fitzgerald -
24) Philippa Pearce -
25) Barbara Pym
26) Beryl Bainbridge -
27) J.G. Ballard - Vermillion Sands, High - Rise, Passport to Eternity, Crash, Hello America, Kingdom Come, The Day of Creation, The Drowned World, The Crystal World
28) Alan Garner -
29) Alasdair Gray
30) John Fowles - The Collector
31) Derek Walcott
32) Kazuo Ishiguro -
33) Anita Brookner
34) A.S. Byatt -
35) Ian McEwen -
36) Geoffrey Hill
37) Hanif Kurdish -
38) Iain Banks - Consider Phlebas, Matter, The State of the Art, The Algebraist, Excession, The Wasp Factory
39) George MacKay Brown
40) A.J.P. Taylor
41) Isaiah Berlin
42) J.K. Rowling - The Harry Potter series,
43) Philip Pullman - His Dark Materials series.
44) Julian Barnes
45) Colin Thubron
46) Bruce Chatwin
47) Alice Oswald
48) Benjamin Zephaniah -
49) Rosemary Sutcliff - Eagle of the Ninth, The Lantern Bearers, The Silver Branch, Sword at Sunset
50) Michael Moorcock - Behold the Man

So many excellent authors not on the list..

Read:
2) George Orwell - Animal Farm & 1984
3) William Golding - Lord of the Flies & The Spire
5) Doris Lessing - The Grass Is Singing
6) J.R.R. Tolkien - The Hobbit or There and Back Again and The Lord of the Rings
8) Muriel Spark - The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie & The Comforters
9) Kingsley Amis - Lucky Jim
10) Angela Carter - Wise Children, Nights at the Circus, The Magic Toyshop & The Bloody Chamber and Other Stories
11) C.S. Lewis - The Chronicles of Narnia
13) Salman Rushdie - Midnight's Children
14) Ian Fleming - Doctor No
15) Jan Morris - Coronation Everest
16) Roald Dahl - too many to mention ;)
17) Anthony Burgess - A Clockwork Orange & A Dead Man in Deptford
18) Mervyn Peake - The Gormenghast Trilogy
19) Martin Amis - The Rachel Papers & Dead Babies
22) John le Carre - The Spy Who Came In from the Cold, Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy & Smiley's People
24) Philippa Pearce - Tom's Midnight Garden, A Finder's Magic & A Dog So Small
26) Beryl Bainbridge - The Birthday Boys, Every Man for Himself & Master Georgie
7) J.G. Ballard - Empire of the Sun, Crash & High-Rise
28) Alan Garner - Elidor, The Weirdstone of Brisingamen & The Owl Service
30) John Fowles - The French Lieutenant's Woman, The Collector & The Magus
32) Kazuo Ishiguro - The Remains of the Day, The Buried Giant, Never Let Me Go & An Artist of the Floating World
33) Anita Brookner - Hotel du Lac
34) A.S. Byatt - Possession
35) Ian McEwan - Atonement, Enduring Love, Sweet Tooth & Amsterdam
38) Iain Banks - The Wasp Factory, The Crow Road & The Bridge
42) J.K. Rowling - Harry Potter 1 -4
43) Philip Pullman - His Dark Materials
44) Julian Barnes - Talking It Over & Flaubert's Parrot

Still a lot to read (too much poetry for my liking):
1) Philip Larkin
4) Ted Hughes
7) V.S. Naipaul
12) Iris Murdoch
20) Anthony Powell
21) Alan Sillitoe
23) Penelope Fitzgerald
25) Barbara Pym
29) Alasdair Gray
31) Derek Walcott
36) Geoffrey Hill
37) Hanif Kureishi
39) George MacKay Brown
40) A.J.P. Taylor
41) Isaiah Berlin
45) Colin Thubron
46) Bruce Chatwin
47) Alice Oswald
48) Benjamin Zephaniah
49) Rosemary Sutcliff
50) Michael Moorcock

This list already gets of on bad footing with me having been forced to read Philip Larkin in school and finding him whiny and depressing! Anyway this is what I've read.

1) Philip Larkin
2) George Orwell - 1984
3) William Golding
4) Ted Hughes - Many fond poems from childhood
5) Doris Lessing
6) J.R.R. Tolkien
7) V.S. NaipaulThe Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
8) Muriel Spark
9) Kingsley Amis
10) Angela Carter - The Bloody Chamber and Other Stories
11) C.S. Lewis -
12) Iris Murdoch
13) Salman Rushdie
14) Ian Fleming
15) Jan Morris
16) Roald Dahl - Pretty much everything that he's written
17) Anthony Burgess
18) Mervyn Peake
19) Martin Amis
20) Anthony Powell
21) Alan Sillitoe
22) John le Carre
23) Penelope Fitzgerald
24) Philippa Pearce
25) Barbara Pym
26) Beryl Bainbridge - Harriet Said...
27) J.G. Ballard
28) Alan Garner
29) Alasdair Gray
30) John Fowles
31) Derek Walcott
32) Kazuo Ishiguro - The Buried Giant
33) Anita Brookner
34) A.S. Byatt
35) Ian McEwan
36) Geoffrey Hill
37) Hanif Kureishi
38) Iain Banks
39) George MacKay Brown
40) A.J.P. Taylor
41) Isaiah Berlin
42) J.K. Rowling - The whole Harry Potter series plus The Casual Vacancy
43) Philip Pullman
44) Julian Barnes
45) Colin Thubron
46) Bruce Chatwin
47) Alice Oswald
48) Benjamin Zephaniah
49) Rosemary Sutcliff
50) Michael Moorcock

Jess wrote: "7) V.S. NaipaulThe Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe."

If only Naipaul had written a book that enjoyable to read.

Liz wrote: "too much poetry for my liking)"

I will probably skip a lot of the poetry.

To my shame I have only read 3 on this list -JRR Tolkien, Barbara Pym (wasn't keen), and Kazuo Ishiguro. Most I had never heard of. Shouldn't Daphne du Maurier be on the list - I love her!

Esther wrote: "Jess wrote: "7) V.S. NaipaulThe Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe."

If only Naipaul had written a book that enjoyable to read.

Liz wrote: "too much poetry for my liking)"

I will probably skip a l..."


I won't skip the poetry ;)

Linda, I agree it would be a crime to miss Daphne du Maurier, but perhaps it's just a cut off thing: 'Since 1945' - I think she started writing before 1945.

I've only read 11 on there so I have a lot to learn. Very glad to see Ian McEwan on there but surprised Hilary Martel and Murakami don't get a mention

Have read the ones in bold

1) Philip Larkin
2) George Orwell
3) William Golding
4) Ted Hughes
5) Doris Lessing
6) J.R.R. Tolkien
7) V.S. Naipaul
8) Muriel Spark
9) Kingsley Amis
10) Angela Carter
11) C.S. Lewis
12) Iris Murdoch
13) Salman Rushdie
14) Ian Fleming
15) Jan Morris
16) Roald Dahl
17) Anthony Burgess
18) Mervyn Peake
19) Martin Amis
20) Anthony Powell
21) Alan Sillitoe
22) John le Carre
23) Penelope Fitzgerald
24) Philippa Pearce
25) Barbara Pym
26) Beryl Bainbridge
27) J.G. Ballard
28) Alan Garner
29) Alasdair Gray
30) John Fowles
31) Derek Walcott
32) Kazuo Ishiguro
33) Anita Brookner
34) A.S. Byatt
35) Ian McEwan
36) Geoffrey Hill
37) Hanif Kureishi
38) Iain Banks
39) George MacKay Brown
40) A.J.P. Taylor
41) Isaiah Berlin
42) J.K. Rowling
43) Philip Pullman
44) Julian Barnes
45) Colin Thubron
46) Bruce Chatwin
47) Alice Oswald
48) Benjamin Zephaniah
49) Rosemary Sutcliff
50) Michael Moorcock