Regarding American authors, I could probably come up with a few suggestions. Try Edith Wharton’s The House of Mirth, it’s an easy read, with a surprisingly modern style, and a very readable heroine. Wharton’s one of the few classic writers that I could take to the beach, if that tells you anything. I would also suggest getting a book of Ernest Hemmingway’s short stories. I thought he was a stronger short story writer than anything else, although that’s not to say he can’t write a good novel. But his writing style is so sparse (and I mean that in a good way), he turned short stories into an art. There’s a famous tale about someone challenging him to write a story in ten words or less. He used only six, and came up with this: “For sale: baby shoes, never worn.” I love Hemmingway.

I also suggest reading Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain, or any of Twain’s essays, simply because his style is so uniquely American Southern. Another southern writer is the often intimidatingly brilliant William Faulkner. The Sound and the Fury (title taken from the Shakespearean soliloquy)is one of Faulkner’s most famous works. He’s a true modernist, interested in playing with narrative styles such as stream of consciousness. He won a noble prize, but he writes the type of book people either love or hate.

F. Scott Fitzgerald is a good read if you’re interested in the jazz age, his Great Gatsby is a classic and also hugely readable. And for present day contemporary, there’s Joyce Carol Oates.

I could go on and on about this stuff but thanks for the reflection piece! This certainly got me thinking about writers I’ve intended to read for awhile! I’ve trudged through a lot of pretentious and literary in school but Hemingway, Wharton, Fitzgerald, they’re good bets. Faulkner is heavy, but he’s good if you’re in the mood for a challenge. I’ve never read Mansfield or Frame, and I’ll have to look up that book by Donna Tartt!

Juliet (or anyone, really) – I would really appreciate some recommendations for a good NZ novel to read while I’m visiting there in August. Since I’ll be backpacking I’m trying to only take one book for space’s sake, but it’s so hard to narrow it down to just one! I’m definitely checking out Janet Frame and Katherine Mansfield the next time at my local used bookstore for sure.

A few years back I decided to rearrange my shelves in chronological order. I couldn’t believe the gaps I saw–the titles were arranged by each book’s original date of publication. It was like I’d skipped the 90s and 2000s completely, in terms of fiction.

I should reorganize again and figure out my gaps again.

Historical novels? Don’t miss out on Elizabeth Chadwick. Her book called “The Champion” is just that, and she has written many more. What I like about Chadwick is that her research is meticulous but never in-your-face. She manages to include correct medieval terminology without it ever sounding pretentious or incomprehensible. And she writes great sex scenes, too:-)

Fantasy? I’d second GRRM, of course, and add Joe Abercrobie, Guy Gavriel Kay (especially the books he wrote in the 1990s) and Neil Gaiman as well as Glenda Larke, Karen Miller and Robin Hobb. There are so many good fantasy writers around that it’s just a metter of reading widely and seeing what suits your taste.

And of course, if you like both history and fantasy, our own Juliet Marillier is the tops. Once again, a lot of work goes into the research but it’s just the background for a shelf of absolutely superb stories. There are few good historical fantasy writers around and fewer still can match Marillier, especially when it comes to the Celtic era in British history.

For a few more ideas, have a look at reviews in webzines such as The Specusphere (www.specusphere. com) for which I am reviews editor. We pride ourselves on covering a wide array of recent books in the fields of fantasy, science fiction, horror and even an occasional historical if it’s written by a spec-fic author. There are other zines that cover other genres. Just ask Mr Google.

Dave, I’d second Jonathan’s suggestion of George R R Martin’s A Game of Thrones, though you might prefer something that’s more stand-alone. An alternative is The Scar by China Mieville – it sits between science fiction and fantasy, is brilliantly written and highly imaginative.

Jamie, I recommend Restoration by Rose Tremain as an elegantly crafted historical novel. Or anything else by this author.

But since college, I’ve read almost entirely genre books, romance, mystery, thrillers, fantasy, western, horror, everything. Yet I’ve hardly read any classics, older or modern. Some friends felt the same, so we have started reading a classic a month, alternating older classics with modern ones (post 1950).

In case anyone else wants to try it, our list so far has been:

The Lovely Bones, Count of Monte Cristo, The Time Travelor’s Wife, Dune, The Graveyard Book, and this month Ellison’s The Invisible Man.

It’s been a lot of fun reading the books together, and has helped fill in the reading gap.

Dave, you may want to try George Martin’s A Game of Thrones for adult fantasy. It’s part of a greater series (as yet unfinished), A Song of Ice and Fire. I’d put it in my top 5 adult fantasy. Also, R. Scott Bakker’s Prince of Nothing series is pretty good.

Oh, I still have lots of genre gaps, I just wish I was a faster reader!

But seriously, it’s going to be increasingly more difficult (impossible?) to read everything that one wants to read in a lifetime. Here’s to hoping heaven is one giant library!

I like to write science fiction, and read tons of it (maybe 1/3rd of the books I read). However, in my entire life, I don’t think I’ve ever read an adult fantasy novel. Any recommendations for one to start with?

As for American Classic: I loved Ellison’s “Invisible Man”. Also, for something slightly more recent, you have to read Capote’s “In Cold Blood” — quite possibly the best book I’ve ever read. And once you’ve read it, watch the film, “Capote”, which is about how the book was made. Utterly fantastic.