Monday 21 April 2008

ABC...

Another idea stolen from Stuck in a book. Choose your favourite author for each letter of the alphabet and a favourite accompanying book. This is harder than it looks but here goes.

ASIMOV, Isaac - Before the Golden Age 2
BENNETT, Alan - The Uncommon Reader
CHEVALIER, Tracey - Falling Angels
Du MAURIER, Daphne - Frenchman's Creek
ERSKINE, Barbara - Hiding From the Light
FAULKS, Sebastian - Birdsong
GRAHAME, Kenneth - The Wind in the Willows
HILL, Susan - The Woman in Black
I ?
JAMES, M.R. - Collected Ghost Stories
KING, Laurie - The Beekeeper's Apprentice
Le GUIN, Ursula K. - The Earthsea Quartet
McKINLEY, Robin - Sunshine
NIX, Garth - Lirael
ORCZY, Baroness - The Scarlet Pimpernel
PRATCHETT, Terry - The Fifth Elephant
Q ?
ROWLING, J.K. - Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince
STREATFEILD, Noel - Saplings
TEPPER, Sheri S. - Grass
U ?
VICKERS, Salley - Instances of the Number 3
WYNDHAM, John - The Chrysalids
X ?
YARBRO, Chelsea Quinn - Hotel Transylvania
ZUSAK, Markus - The Book Thief

As you can see I got stuck on five. I can't think of any writer beginning with I that I've even read let alone enjoyed. U? Drew a blank. V? Haven't read any Barbara Vine. Must've read A.E. Van Vogt but can't remember anything specific. There must be others though. I must have read some Ys but again, can't think of any. I cheated with A too as Asimov only edited the Before the Golden Age books but this particular one is a huge favourite of mine as it has Tumithak of the Corridors and Tumithak in Shawm, two novellas by Charles R. Tanner, that I absolutely love. Of course I could have put Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen there but that would have a bit obvious, imo. Plus, of course, there were letters I could have filled in several times over, like K. Good fun.

ETA: Added an author for V. Transferred Chelsea Quinn Yarbro to Y rather than Q because that's how she's listed on Fantastic Fiction. Am now missing I, Q, U and X.

9 comments:

DesLily said...

oh big surprise you used Laurie King LOL...
thought of a Y author: William Yeates (not that I read him lol)

hope you got my multiple emails!

Cath said...

I've never heard of William Yeates, Pat. lol.

Yes, all four e.mails came through safe and sound and thank you for you know what. :-)

Anonymous said...

Sounds like a fun activity! :] You certainly have a diverse set of favorites. Sadly, I have not even heard of some of the books you mentioned. It shows that I have a lot of catch up on!

Anonymous said...

U - read anything by Barry Unsworth? I have fortunately so was able to plug the gap.

V - I cheated a bit and put Elizabeth von Arnim.

Only one I came to grief on was X!
Of course, as you state, lots of favourite authors one could have done for each letter. I have suggested to Simon that he changes the rules and we have to think of three authors for each letter but perhaps that is going a bit too far...

Jeane said...

This looks like fun. I'm afraid many of my answers would echo yours, though!

Nicola Slade said...

How about Charlotte Yonge? Best selling Victorian writer of family sagas - I was brought up on her and love her huge families, usually about 12 children living in genteel poverty.

DesLily said...

I made my list up.. I'll post it soon but have a review today heh.

Cath said...

Orchidus: It was great fun to do and yes, I suppose it is a bit of a varied list, due to the fact that I like all kinds of books.

Hi Elaine. No I haven't read anything by Barry Unsworth, not really familiar with him to be honest. There's John updike too but nor have I read any of his books. I'm sadly under-read in many areas.

It was fun, Jeane... nice to hear someone else has eclectic reading habits too. :-)

Nicola: Charlotte Yonge is a completely new author to me but I will go and look her up in a moment as your description of her books sound very interesting indeed.

Yaaay, Pat! Look forward to seeing your list as and when. I'm hoping you'll have found someone for X. :-)

DesLily said...

Ummm nope lol..i used only authors I've read and I'm missing I, Q, U, X and Z. Now I know I could look up until I found authors with those letters but I figured I'd only do those I've read.