I recently finished reading A Wreath for the Enemy by Pamela Frankau. The title jumped out at me in the bookshop, and I picked it up not knowing what to expect. I was mesmerised from start to finish. I looked up Frankau online, and she had an incredible life. I was puzzled that I had never encountered any of her books before, as she wrote prolifically…and then I saw that most of them are out of print. So I went on a quest to a shop specialising in rare and antiquarian books. They didn’t have any in stock, but they told me I’d find a couple of titles online, and gave me the address of a members’ library in Nottingham that has a complete collection. I’ve applied to join for the sake of getting my hands on the rest, even if it does mean a four-hour return trip. I’m curious to hear about other people’s best late and accidental discoveries. Which author do you wish you’d read sooner, and why?
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Toni Morrison. Absolutely blew my mind. I’ve never felt words under my skin like that.
Thanks, looks interesting. I will check her out.
I didn’t just discover him but Blindboy Boat club needs more recognition for his short stories.
For those who don’t know about him this is from his Wikipedia “Blindboy Boatclub, is an Irish satirist, musician, podcaster, author, and TV presenter.”
Hes was recently diagnosed with autism and also known for wearing a plastic bag over his face to hide his identity.
The stories vary in style quite a lot with some being like something from a episode of black mirror to others being surreal, funny or deeply depressing.
You can listen to him read his short stories occasionally on episodes of his podcasts. Notably Jo-lee and most recently pistils of the dandelions which can be heard Here
Jon Fosse. I didn’t know anything about him until he won the Nobel in October, but I’m reading his Trilogy now. Interesting writer.
John Scalzi.
Pick up Chuck Wendig if you like Scalzi. They also have a lot of banter back and forth on social media
Thanks! I’ll look.
Boo Walker
He is my author idol (as a fellow writer)
I wish I had found Elizabeth Moon in high school. Her books are the kind of thing I was searching for at the time.
Adam Grant
Wendell Berry.
I will always be ashamed that I’d never even heard about this master of American letters until just a few years ago, let alone read anything by him.
Roberto Bolaño. Savage Detectives. Great sex scenes. Lives of latin american and mexican writers in the 70’s. Laugh out loud humor.
Norman Mailer (Ancient Evenings, The Deer Park, Tough Guys Don’t Dance) Mircea Cartarescu (Solenoid/Blinding) Brian (B.) Catling (Vorrh Trilogy) Steve Erickson (Days Between Stations, Zeroville)
Tell me what you think about the Vorrh trilogy. I’ve read up to halfway through The Erstwhile. Do you see analogy and deeper meanings in the story? Hat do you like about them? I’m so enthralled with the books, but haven’t found many people who know about them.
Adrian Tchaikovsky the children of time series is a recent find I love
Read my first T. Kingfisher a month or so ago and am looking forward to more by her!