A Book Meme

[firecat]

via wild_irises
Cross out the authors that aren't on your shelves, replacing them with ones that are. My additions are in bold. This version of the meme has 13 books.
Pat Murphy
Nalo Hopkinson
Robert A. Heinlein The OH owns almost all of his work, and I've dabbled, but I don't much like his stuff, partly, I confess, because of the worshipful stance of various polyfolks toward him.
Joyce Carol Oates
Flannery O'Connor
C.J. Cherryh The OH owns some of it; she's on my short list to read soon.
Jane Duncan
Neil Gaiman: Pretty much everything
Lois McMaster Bujold: Pretty much everything
Samuel Beckett: There are a few things of his still on the shelves from when I studied him in college, but I don't read them any more.
Jo Walton: The King trilogy (I'm 1/2 way through it.)
Kim Stanley Robinson: I listened to Red Mars on tape, borrowed from the library, but don't own any and don't plan to; the writing style doesn't work for me.
Octavia Butler: We have Parable of the Talents but I'm not sure which of us officially owns it.
J.R.R. Tolkien: I re-read Lord of the Rings every five years or so.
Stephen Jay Gould: I love the essays on evolution, phylogeny, and history of science (with frequent references to baseball) that he published in Natural History magazine for many years, and collected in books with fun titles like Hen's Teeth and Horses' Toes. I miss him.
Oliver Sacks: Deeply observant of the diversity of human experience. Compassionate. And a great writer.
Vernor Vinge: Began reading his stuff after attending his lecture on the singularity at ConJosé. I really like the scope of his works, and to me (relatively poorly read in science fiction) they're just stuffed with fascinating ideas.
Ursula K. LeGuin: I want to be her when I grow up.
Rainer Maria Rilke (various translations): I like reading the original German side by side with various English translations. If I read many English translations, I sometimes end up with a sense for what the original poem was about.
Charlotte Bronté: A long-time favorite. I'm still in love with Jane Eyre's Rochester after all these years, the scamp. Actually, no. I'm in love with the notion of falling in love via conversation.

Comments

[nolly.livejournal.com]

Nalo's stuff is really good. I recommend picking some up when you get a chance.

[firecat]

That's three recommendations at least, so it's going on my list.

[papersky.livejournal.com]

Not a trilogy. Really.

[firecat]

*blush* Sorry...was being sloppy.

[eve-l-incarnata.livejournal.com]

I'm so glad to hear another poly person say they don't much like Heinlein's stuff. I can't stand Stranger. I'm always amazed at how people will dance around the homophobia and sexism "oh, he was such a groundbreaker for his time", blah blah blah.

[firecat]

I overlook many other authors' sexism (e.g., Tolkien's), but I guess Heinlein's good points as a writer aren't strong enough for me to overcome those aspects of his work. Or maybe it's the particular kind of sexism. The kind that pretends women barely exist doesn't bother me as much as the kind that goes "Look! WOMEN! Aren't they NEAT! And you know, they really can be rather clever at times, almost like men."

[lcohen]

Charlotte Bronté: A long-time favorite. I'm still in love with Jane Eyre's Rochester after all these years, the scamp. Actually, no. I'm in love with the notion of falling in love via conversation.

have you read jasper fforde's the eyre affair? mostly, i think it is too, um, lightweight? for you, but you can tell that the author has encountered people who love the book, anyway.

[firecat]

[storing on book list]