Comments on: I didn’t realise we even had 50. Only had 50. Both.

By: Helen

Helen — Sun, 20 Jan 2008 20:51:45 +0000

Philip Larkin is number 1?! What the-?! I seriously cannot stand him, and where is Stevie Smith, may I ask? And Elizabeth Jane Howard. Huh. I did laugh about no.14. And n0.19 and n0.9. The old father and son duo, yuck, yuck, YUCK!!

By: Ed

Ed — Wed, 16 Jan 2008 14:18:50 +0000

Alan Moore Alan Moore Alan Moore.
That was a party political broadcast on behalf ot the Alan Moore Appreciation Society. (Not to mention the Church of Alan Moore Facebook group.)
Having got that off my chest, I shall now return to my life, such as it is.
Due sneers for not having read Burgess.

By: nursemyra

nursemyra — Sun, 13 Jan 2008 08:07:41 +0000

maybe you haven’t read the best of Ian McEwan? I think he should be further up than #35.

which ones have you read?

By: Singing Librarian

Singing Librarian — Sun, 13 Jan 2008 00:05:56 +0000

I feel like a disgrace to the profession in that there are several I don’t recognise, and even more that I’ve never read. Pullman, yes, belongs far higher up than Rowling. Ishiguro should be knighted, or possibly deified, for Remains of the Day. And I rather enjoyed Dahl’s short stories for adults (which I read as a teen who had exhaused the kids and teens sections, plus fantasy (Piers Anthony!) and crime (mostly good old Agatha Christie) in the public library and started raiding at random). Very unsettling.

I would have to ask where Neil Gaiman is. Maybe he doesn’t count because his best work has pictures?

By: Care

Care — Sat, 12 Jan 2008 23:17:38 +0000

Thank God I recognized some! More than I thought I was going to when I started to read this list… I’ve even read quite a few, too! I snorted when I read your comment at #43. What do you recommend by Angela Carter and Jan Morris?

By: SG V

SG V — Thu, 10 Jan 2008 12:39:54 +0000

Like Titania, there were a good lot I didn’t recognise. I’d have to say that I absolutely loved le CarrÃ©’s ‘The Night Manager’

But then, he’s more down my alley of reading. I keep promise myself to read Real Books when I retire or something…

By: Phil

Phil — Thu, 10 Jan 2008 09:53:17 +0000

What do you think of Moorcock’s latest works? I think I’ve one of the Pyat quartet books somewhere and must get round to reading it (and the rest) as well as some more of the london stuff, maybe with starting by re-reading Mother London. Though I do have to be in the right mood to start reading them and I’ve got at least one more big thick novel to read before I start back with Moorcock I think.

By: Titania

Titania — Thu, 10 Jan 2008 08:55:12 +0000

Thank goodness you pointed out it was a list of British authors – I got a bit worried when I failed to recognise more than half of them… including no.1 Philip Larkin.