Just about a month ago, Peter Rozovsky 'tagged' me to challenge me to come up with a list of authors that were new to me that I had read in 2008.You can read about the challenge here.
I got out of it at the time by citing Adrian McKinty's refusal of a similar challenge, where he pointed out that the year was not yet over. But as he has now posted his own Books of the Year, and 2008 is even now receding quickly into memory, I guess my excuses have now faded away.
In no particular order, then:
Gregoire Bouillier
Joseph O'Neill
Samuel Butler
Sara Gran
Shirley Abbott
Julian Rubenstein
Micah Perks
John Hubner
Heinrich Boll
Cory Doctorow
David Park
Jonathan Coe
Glenway Westcott
Adam Mansbach
Patrick McGrath
Zoe Heller
Matt Haig
Alaa Al Aswany
Amara Lakhous
Jean-Claude Izzo
Adrian McKinty
Gene Kerrigan
Declan Burke
Lorna Sage
Meg Rosoff
Zoe Heller
Rabih Alameddine
Slightly sketchy:
David Sedaris--I'd certainly read an essay or two before, but had never sat down and read through an entire book of his before.
Arthur Phillips--again, I'd made a start on a couple of things in the past, but hadn't gotten very far. Come to think of it, I didn't this time either. But paradoxically, the difference is that now I get him. So I think that rates something.
T.H. White--I know I read something as a kid, but The Once and Future King was a revelation to me as an adult.
Even more sketchy, because in some ways just more shameless self-promotion since these are my fellow authors in the Carpathian Shadows, Volume 2 anthology. But strictly speaking, it's true:
Carol A. Cole
Kevin Tipple
Kristin Johnson
Christine Barber
Donna Amato
Oh, and I shouldn't forget reading an entertaining novel by our publisher, Rob Preece.
Being somewhat lazy, I am not going to try to figure out the debut novelists here--I think this might be technically difficult to ascertain, and for the most part wouldn't apply anyway. As for tagging, well--if you even so much as glance at this blog, consider yourself tagged. And it's your solemn duty to report back here. Anonymity does not shield you from having to fulfill this requirement. It's in the blogger contract when you log on.
Just kidding, oh ye of trembling heart.
Raul Castro Squandered His Last Chance
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14ymedio, Generation Y, Yoani Sanchez, Havana, 22 March 2017 — A year ago
Cuba had a once in a lifetime opportunity. US President Barack Obama came
to the ...
7 years ago
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ReplyDeleteI'm humbled by your list. It's a hell of a list.
ReplyDeleteBut the best part of this comment may be my v-word: excru
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Detectives Beyond Borders
"Because Murder Is More Fun Away From Home"
http://www.detectivesbeyondborders.blogspot.com/
It is not that humbling of a list. Really. I keep thinking of all the books I've learned about in '08 that I didn't get around to and I wonder where the reading time went.
ReplyDelete'Excru', huh? Was the pain so excrutiating for the WV that it was cut off mid-thought? I hope it wasn't the list itself that caused it to complain.
I'm impressed by any list that looks interesting and has authors I have not read and might want to read.
ReplyDeleteI think the v-word machine has a bit of valley girl in it: "The dentist, was like, so excru!"
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Detectives Beyond Borders
"Because Murder Is More Fun Away From Home"
http://www.detectivesbeyondborders.blogspot.com/