# Greatest Living Author



## Stacy (Dec 25, 2004)

Who do you think is the greatest writer of our age?  I'm not asking who your favorite author is, but who you think is most worthy to be read by the generations to come.

As for me, I have to say Jeffrey Eugenides, the author of "The Virgin Suicides" and "Middlesex."  His novels have the decadent feel of Greek tragedies, and the language is remarkably beautiful.  His style of narration is fascinating too, as he has a preference for unreliable narrators.

For a second place award, I'd have to say Gabriel Garcia Marquez.


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## pitseleh (Dec 26, 2004)

garcia marquez absolutely number one for me. he is original and his writing is poetic.


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## Bhauger (Dec 26, 2004)

George R.R. Martin


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## Rebecca (Jan 13, 2005)

Kurt Vonnegut? Eugenides is incredible. I think that David Mamet is really worthwhile too.


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## yagotmoxie (Jan 19, 2005)

chuck palahniuk


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## Tunga (Jan 19, 2005)

Palahniuk's great, not sure who I'd rate as the best though.


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## demonic_harmonic (Jan 20, 2005)

me.


 8)


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## swisstony (Feb 6, 2005)

george martin, LOL.  THe best writer not your favourite 

I'll take a stab at either Ian McEwan, Don DeLillo, Salman Rushdie or Annie Proulx.

Technically, and recently Franzen's the Corrections joins this group, the writing in books by these people is really very very strong.

Try Midnight's Children or The Shipping News for prose that really is a cut above anything in the last 40 years.


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## The Holy Moly (Feb 6, 2005)

demonic_harmonic said:
			
		

> me.
> 
> 
> 8)



Ahh damn you!  You stole my line!


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## Barr (Feb 6, 2005)

demonic_harmonic said:
			
		

> me.
> 
> 
> 8)



I'll vote for DH too...haha


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## Bhauger (Feb 10, 2005)

swisstony said:
			
		

> george martin, LOL.  THe best writer not your favourite
> 
> I'll take a stab at either Ian McEwan, Don DeLillo, Salman Rushdie or Annie Proulx.
> 
> ...



If he's my favorite, wouldn't I consider him the best? :\


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## Yamato145 (Feb 10, 2005)

ME!!!
MUAHAHAHAAAAAAAAAAA!!!
(the bad part is im sure someone already declared theirselves best on here)


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## swisstony (Feb 13, 2005)

> If he's my favorite, wouldn't I consider him the best?



I enjoy Ian MacEwan more than Dickens, but wouldn't consider him better than Dickens.


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## Ilan Bouchard (Feb 13, 2005)

Yamato145 said:
			
		

> ME!!!
> MUAHAHAHAAAAAAAAAAA!!!
> (the bad part is im sure someone already declared theirselves best on here)


Uh, yeah...


I say Shakespeare.  He's still alive, damnit, and so is Elvis!


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## crzywriter (Feb 13, 2005)

*smiles gently and reassuringly*

Of course they're still alive, Ilan.

*sneaks up behind Ilan with one of those crazy-people jackets*

~Crzy


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## Ilan Bouchard (Feb 13, 2005)

Bah!  Those things are useless, I'm telling you.  They have almost no insulation against the wind, for one thing, and for another they're just not stylish.  Get me a sweater and a goose-down jacket instead.


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## crzywriter (Feb 13, 2005)

*hands Ilan sweater and goose-down jacket*

hey, I have one of those jackets. They are warm. hehe. 

I feel like I should contribute to this thread instead of shamelessly ignoring the original post.

So, I have to agree with whomever said George RR Martin. Or perhaps Robin Hobb. Something like that.

~Crzy


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## LostWords (Feb 13, 2005)

Steven King


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## chelseafagan (Feb 14, 2005)

I love Louise Rennisson...sure she's not "literature", but she's hilarious and really creative.


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## Eiji Tunsinagi (Feb 20, 2005)

Phillip K Dick, because he tells the story without any kind of fluff - all substance, barely any style - though style can be fun...


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## Ham (Feb 23, 2005)

Eiji Tunsinagi said:
			
		

> Phillip K Dick, because he tells the story without any kind of fluff - all substance, barely any style - though style can be fun...



He did it even better before he died.


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## New_York (Mar 1, 2005)

I would have to say that few living authors compare to J.M. Coetzee.  

I have read a large portion of his work and have to say that the range of emotion and experience the books encompass, when added up, is considerable.  In fact, few since Proust have come as close to providing such a complete portrait of the plight of humankind. 

Another great thing about going through all of his books is to realize just how much he has changed and evolved over time.  Some of his early work (like Waiting for the Barbarians, for example) is very raw, and very original.  When you look at his later work, the unique style is certainly still there, yet the way he expresses his ideas is much more fluid.

Some of his most recent work displays an economy of line that is simply unheard of these days.  It is the type of writing that requires an unspeakable talent.  

The novel, "Disgrace" which was published only about 4 or five years ago is pure Genius.  I recommend that anyone who has not read any of his work start with this book or "The Life and Times of Michael K."


I also failed to mention that he is a South African born writer who was apparently deeply affected by the conditions that existed during his formative years there (who wouldn't be), so as a result, much of his work deals with intense and manifold conflict.


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