How did I miss your question about completism? Yes, I'm one of those people who, when I find an author I love, read all their works. Here are a few: Dorothy Allison, Barbara Kingsolver, Barbara Neely, Sandra Scoppettone, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Kurt Vonnegut, Ursula Le Guin, Tommy Orange, David Heska Wanbli Weiden, P. D. James, Val McDermid, Ruth Rendell.
Rats, I wrote my comment elsewhere, not a reply to this thread. But I'll add that if you haven't read Ruth Rendell you at least read A Judgment in Stone. One of my all time favorite books.
Give her a try! I am not a huge fan of British mystery writers, but for some reason PD clicked with me.
Normally I read series books in order, but the first PD James book I read was an Adam Dalgliesh book, Devices and Desires (middle of the series). I was hooked instantly.
Hope you enjoy her books if you give them a try. :)
Me too. Also Ruth Rendell (also wrote under Barbara Vine). Val McDermid is still kicking and is now the Queen of Crime Writers in the UK (after P. D. James)
Yes it was. We had the final fitting this morning for both the wedding dress and the party outfit (corset and tulle skirt). I also made the veil. I have a couple of final tweaks on the dress and then I'll sew the wedding gifts. The wedding is in five days.
Crime writers have cropped up last week and this with references to particular police/related characters and I have a list just compiled off the top of my head. Every novel related to the character(s) read by me, my wife and a good few friends. The author coming second in any discussions we have: Adam Dalgleish (P D James); C I Wexford (Ruth Rendell); Ruth Galloway (Elly Griffiths); Harbinder Kaur (Elly Griffiths); Martin Beck (Maj Sjowall & Per Wahloo); Dalziel and Pascoe (Reginald Hill) and, first in my head and re-read last autumn whilst recovering from a stroke, is C I Lloyd and Detective Sergeant Judy Hill (Jill McGown). A good few of the authors are dead, others in full swing, one just two novels in. My list has no dark, seriously flawed characters. Unconventional maybe. Lloyd and Hill is, at heart, a love story - and I am a sucker when it comes to romance! In my world it is characters first authors second - Robert Howard 🐰
Three writers I admire--Ari Hornavar, Jim Ruland, and Marivi Blanco—all together in one beautiful newsletter. Thanks, Betsy. I hope to see Jim in a "live" appearance at a great San Diego Indie bookstore reading from his new book. And... that movie of Marivi's. Waiting for these events is teaching me patience.
Thanks for the shout out! This week I read a novel I absolutely loved: CLOSE TO HOME by Belfast author Michael Magee. It's a powerful look at grief, class, and family history through the eyes of a young man trying to overcome his own bad decisions. It doesn't come out until May but highy recommended!
Your completist question made me realize that I'm a near-completist with several authors, but haven't managed to read them all. I've read almost all Anne Tyler (Dinner at the Homesick Restaurant may be my fave); nearly all Toni Morrison (who can pick a fave, my god she's so so good); all of Louise Erdrich's old stuff, but I'm missing some of the new (it's all on the list!); most of Pete Hamill; lots of Knausgaard. I went on a tear with Deborah Levy and Abigail Thomas last year, but there's probably something obscure I'm missing. I don't chase complete-ism, but if I read something I like, it's on to the next. For instance, I finally read one Tana French and immediately picked up a second. Several more are on my shelf. And Ferrante - the few unread books are waiting next to the bed. So many books! A delicious problem.
How could I have left "Homesick Restaurant" off my list of favorite Tyler novels? I came to it later in my reading life and still think about it sometimes, particularly the ending which I had to read many times. I'm still not sure I get it only that it feels right.
I think Abigail Thomas is amazing and I'm still waiting to start Louise Erdrich (this is the year). I am very curious about what drew you to Knausgaard and kept you coming back. TBH I have read about him and his work, but never the work itself.
Knausgaard's "My Struggle" was so critically acclaimed (Zadie Smith famously said she needed the next volume "like crack," and I love her), so I dove in and was hooked. I rapidly read four volumes (still need the last two) and have since read some of his seasons books. "My Struggle" is sort of like one long stream of consciousness personal essay. Creative nonfiction may be my fave genre, and his is like that on steroids. Gorgeous, meandering, quotidian, personal, often profound and even divine. It's sometimes boring, but in the best way? I'm a sucker for finding the gold in the everyday, pondering our shared experience in this strange world. It's interesting, because that's sort of how I feel about Anne Tyler - she's sometimes sort of boring, very domestic and quotidian, but I love her. Knausgaard is really nothing like Tyler AT ALL, and he's not for everyone, but omg I loved those books. I need to get back to it.
How did I miss your question about completism? Yes, I'm one of those people who, when I find an author I love, read all their works. Here are a few: Dorothy Allison, Barbara Kingsolver, Barbara Neely, Sandra Scoppettone, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Kurt Vonnegut, Ursula Le Guin, Tommy Orange, David Heska Wanbli Weiden, P. D. James, Val McDermid, Ruth Rendell.
Another P.D. James completist here!
I physically miss her books since she died.
I need to read at least one PD James novel. It seems crazy to me that I've never read any of her books.
Rats, I wrote my comment elsewhere, not a reply to this thread. But I'll add that if you haven't read Ruth Rendell you at least read A Judgment in Stone. One of my all time favorite books.
Thanks! My library has it, so I'll give that a try.
OK, so I'm reading A Judgment in Stone right now.
WHAT A BOOK, wow!
The sense of dread, from the very first chapter.
Vacillating between pity for and anger at Eunice.
The barbed social commentary.
I can't wait to finish it. Thanks so much for the recommendation. It's a hell of a book.
Give her a try! I am not a huge fan of British mystery writers, but for some reason PD clicked with me.
Normally I read series books in order, but the first PD James book I read was an Adam Dalgliesh book, Devices and Desires (middle of the series). I was hooked instantly.
Hope you enjoy her books if you give them a try. :)
Me too. Also Ruth Rendell (also wrote under Barbara Vine). Val McDermid is still kicking and is now the Queen of Crime Writers in the UK (after P. D. James)
Yes it was. We had the final fitting this morning for both the wedding dress and the party outfit (corset and tulle skirt). I also made the veil. I have a couple of final tweaks on the dress and then I'll sew the wedding gifts. The wedding is in five days.
I recommend you start with An Unsuitable Job for a Woman. There are only two in that series.
Crime writers have cropped up last week and this with references to particular police/related characters and I have a list just compiled off the top of my head. Every novel related to the character(s) read by me, my wife and a good few friends. The author coming second in any discussions we have: Adam Dalgleish (P D James); C I Wexford (Ruth Rendell); Ruth Galloway (Elly Griffiths); Harbinder Kaur (Elly Griffiths); Martin Beck (Maj Sjowall & Per Wahloo); Dalziel and Pascoe (Reginald Hill) and, first in my head and re-read last autumn whilst recovering from a stroke, is C I Lloyd and Detective Sergeant Judy Hill (Jill McGown). A good few of the authors are dead, others in full swing, one just two novels in. My list has no dark, seriously flawed characters. Unconventional maybe. Lloyd and Hill is, at heart, a love story - and I am a sucker when it comes to romance! In my world it is characters first authors second - Robert Howard 🐰
PD James and Ruth Rendell keep cropping up! I've read neither and it feels now that I must, at least once each.
And both are dead. Check out the first novel because the characters and their lives progress with every story - Robert 🐰
Three writers I admire--Ari Hornavar, Jim Ruland, and Marivi Blanco—all together in one beautiful newsletter. Thanks, Betsy. I hope to see Jim in a "live" appearance at a great San Diego Indie bookstore reading from his new book. And... that movie of Marivi's. Waiting for these events is teaching me patience.
Luckily you won't have to wait too much longer for Jim's novel. It's due in April. I'm hoping to get all the details on Marivi's movie soon.
My title for the month - Look Homeward, Angel
Intriguing!
Title of my January: Month Two of Bridal Sewing
Bridal Sewing. My god. That's got to be a LOT of sewing.
Thanks for the shout out! This week I read a novel I absolutely loved: CLOSE TO HOME by Belfast author Michael Magee. It's a powerful look at grief, class, and family history through the eyes of a young man trying to overcome his own bad decisions. It doesn't come out until May but highy recommended!
Great. I'll watch for Magee's book. I'm interested in reading more Belfast stories.
Your completist question made me realize that I'm a near-completist with several authors, but haven't managed to read them all. I've read almost all Anne Tyler (Dinner at the Homesick Restaurant may be my fave); nearly all Toni Morrison (who can pick a fave, my god she's so so good); all of Louise Erdrich's old stuff, but I'm missing some of the new (it's all on the list!); most of Pete Hamill; lots of Knausgaard. I went on a tear with Deborah Levy and Abigail Thomas last year, but there's probably something obscure I'm missing. I don't chase complete-ism, but if I read something I like, it's on to the next. For instance, I finally read one Tana French and immediately picked up a second. Several more are on my shelf. And Ferrante - the few unread books are waiting next to the bed. So many books! A delicious problem.
How could I have left "Homesick Restaurant" off my list of favorite Tyler novels? I came to it later in my reading life and still think about it sometimes, particularly the ending which I had to read many times. I'm still not sure I get it only that it feels right.
I think Abigail Thomas is amazing and I'm still waiting to start Louise Erdrich (this is the year). I am very curious about what drew you to Knausgaard and kept you coming back. TBH I have read about him and his work, but never the work itself.
Knausgaard's "My Struggle" was so critically acclaimed (Zadie Smith famously said she needed the next volume "like crack," and I love her), so I dove in and was hooked. I rapidly read four volumes (still need the last two) and have since read some of his seasons books. "My Struggle" is sort of like one long stream of consciousness personal essay. Creative nonfiction may be my fave genre, and his is like that on steroids. Gorgeous, meandering, quotidian, personal, often profound and even divine. It's sometimes boring, but in the best way? I'm a sucker for finding the gold in the everyday, pondering our shared experience in this strange world. It's interesting, because that's sort of how I feel about Anne Tyler - she's sometimes sort of boring, very domestic and quotidian, but I love her. Knausgaard is really nothing like Tyler AT ALL, and he's not for everyone, but omg I loved those books. I need to get back to it.