There are so many authors whose books have given me a gift that only that one book could give me. That gift is a new perspective, a new experience, a new turn of phrase, a good laugh – sometimes all of those things. Those books leave me wanting more of that experience, so inevitably I go in search of the author’s other works and gobble them up. If there aren’t any, I begin the long process of waiting for them to come out with a new book. If they’re an author I’m discovering posthumously I’m left with this horrible feeling that never quite goes away. I then have to go through a lengthy grieving process, I stare at the book I’ve read that I love, sometimes I re-read it, sometimes I’m too sad…. it’s a whole thing. So I enjoyed this prompt because it meant I got to imagine, for a short few minutes, the joy that would accompany finding out that all of these favourite authors would be releasing new books that would have the exact same elements I loved about that other one I fell in love with. Here’s what I came up with.
Authors who have passed away
- Dodie Smith – I Capture the Castle is one of my favourite books of all time, one of my most re-read, and my most recommended. I know she has written others, but I want more like this one.
- Helene Hanff – I love 84, Charing Cross Road, but Q’s Legacy is just so brilliant. I’d love more of her musings on books she’s reading (I’d love to know what she makes of some of the books that have come out recently) and on life.
- Marina Keegan – her book The Opposite of Loneliness was a beautiful gut punch of a book, because when I read it I knew she had died tragically right after her graduation from Harvard. There will never be another, but man I wish there was.
- Neil Gaiman with Terry Pratchett – Good Omens may have some problematic elements when read now, but when I first read it, it was just hilarious good fun. I want more of that. I’ve tried reading the solo books, but they’re better together, imo.
- Emily Brontë – Wuthering Heights was a revelation to me when I read it as a teenager. I didn’t really like the characters, but man did I ever fall in love with the writing.
- Sue Townsend – we lost her far too soon. In addition to her remarkably hilarious Adrian Mole books, her other writing has highly entertained me. I’d love anything else from her. I’m spacing out her books I haven’t read yet until I’ve forgotten the ones I have so I never run out.
Authors who are thankfully absolutely still with us (and hopefully writing at this very moment)
- Sandi Toksvig – her memoir Between the Stops was a favourite read of mine this year and I’d like more, please.
- Kat Leyh – specifically I’d like a sequel to Snapdragon, which I adored.
- Shelby Van Pelt – again, specifically I want an entire book that is just journal entries from Marcelas the octopus. Similar to what was in Remarkably Bright Creatures, just a lot more of it and none of the other stories.
- Debbie Tung – I’d read pretty much anything she wanted to write. A series of shopping lists. A guide to folding laundry. How to decide what you and your husband want to eat for dinner (though that might take a lifetime and not have an ending). Whatever, I’m in.
- Rachael Herron – I loved A Life in Stitches, and I’d very much like more in the same vein.
- Claire Alexander – Meredith, Alone was one of the most emotionally impactful – in a good way – books I’ve read this year, and I really can’t wait to see what she does next.
That’s me for the week as I return to the sad reality where half of these authors don’t have a new book for me to read right now, and the other half never will. On the plus side, there’s still hope for some of these. I will hold onto that.
What about you guys? Which authors topped your list this week? Were any of mine on it? Did you list more authors who are no longer with us, or more that are? Any other even splits out there?
Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly link-up feature created by The Broke and the Bookish and hosted by Jana at That Artsy Reader Girl. Every week TTT has a different topic, and everyone who links up has to create a link of ten items that fit that topic. To see past and upcoming topics, go here.
I Capture the Castle is such a great book. I have read it a few times and I like it every time. I get what you mean, my list has some authors where I want them to write another book similar to one I loved. 🙂
Right? I love that book, not so much for the story which can rub my 21st century sensibilities the wrong way, as for the characters and the sense of wide-eyed wonder at the world. What I’d give for more of that same feeling!
The author of The Last Lecture passed away not long after writing his book. That’s a book I should reread, I think.
That’s the silver lining – when there isn’t another book by a favourite author, at least we can re-read as many times as we want!