(Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme brought to you by The Broke and the Bookish. Want to make your own list? Clicking the image will take you to this week’s post. Happy listing!)
We spend a lot of time talking about books, which ones we like and which ones we hate. And while many reviewers list the authors of the books they review, most of us don’t spend a lot of time focusing on the real people on the other side of the pen. This week’s Top 10 Tuesday is all about listing those authors we’d love to meet.
1. Jasper Fforde – Anyone who can combine futuristic societies (that are set in the past), mesh the real and Book Worlds, turn Neanderthals into lawyers and the Minotaur into a criminal mastermind, all while making excellent use of puns — that is an author who deserves to be met!
2. Kristin Cashore – Graceling was one of my favorite reads last year, and I’d love to meet Cashore. Katsa is so very different from other Young Adult characters, and I’d wager that Cashore herself has some interesting ideas about what makes a young woman strong and worthwhile.
3. Paul (of The Bible) – I don’t know a whole lot about religion, but New Testament Studies class I took in college gave me just enough to know that I like Paul (despite all the anti-woman stuff that is attributed to him). His letter to the Galatians is one of my favorites, and overall I find his writings to be sensible and full of good advice. He is one of the few people with whom I could talk comfortably with about religion.
4. Malinda Lo – I absolutely loved Ash. Lo pushed the story of Cinderella onto its head, and then kept pushing it, giving new perspectives and new ways of loving. It was a great, fresh look at an old and rather stereotyped story. Sitting down to have a chat with Lo would be awesome.
5. James Herriot – I’ve been reading his stories of practicing veterinary medicine in rural England since I was knee high to a cricket, and I’ve always enjoyed his practicality, intelligence, and willingness to laugh at himself.
6. Mary Roach – She’s written books about sex and death, the funniest and un-funniest aspects of life. She’s an amazing researcher, has a great self-deprecating wit, and can write a hysterical giggle-inducing footnote like nobody’s business. Dinner with her would be awesome, even if the topics were a bit unappetizing.
7. Hafiz – Shams-ud-din Muhammad was born around 1320 in Shiraz, an area of Persia (now Iran). He took the name Hafiz (meaning “memorizer”) as a young adult, and wrote a massive amount of religious poetry, all of it beautiful and funny. I’ve read several volumes of his translated poems, including The Gift: Poems by Hafiz, the Great Sufi Master. His solid belief in a God of humor, intelligence, and kindess makes me wish that we could meet.
8. Laura Ingalls Wilder – Another author that I’ve been reading since elementary school, Wilder brought the history of the pioneers to vivid life through the stories of her family’s search for prosperity in a wild land. She saw some amazing—and scary—things, and I’d love to talk with her about them.
9. Cindy Meston – One of the premiere sex researchers in the United States, Meston teaches at the University of Texas, just a few hours away from where I live. Her book, Why Women Have Sex (co-authored with David Buss, possibly the most famous sex researcher) was an eye-opening one, and meeting Meston would be great fun for me.
10. Erma Bombeck – The queen of humor writing for almost 50 years, Bombeck is one of my go-to authors when I need a laugh. In books like The Grass is Always Greener Over the Septic Tank and A Marriage Made in Heaven; or, Too Tired for an Affair, Bombeck tells harrowing and ridiculous stories of being a housewife and mother while still managing to dole out good advice for being happy in life — no matter how crazy the circumstances.
Who are some authors you’d like to meet?
I can’t imagine a more interesting conversation than discussing BookWorld with Jasper Fforde. Wow, nice call on Paul.
I want to swim around in Fforde’s brain and drink ideas. Is that weird? o.O
I enjoy the history behind The Bible more than I do much of the content. Paul’s an interesting guy, as are people like King Solomon and Esther. Ooh, she’s another one I’d like to meet (even though she’s not a writer).
I have seen Jasper Fforde’s books on so many lists! I will add his books to my TBR.
Great list! There are some new to me authors among your choices, whom I will be checking out on Goodreads.
Fforde is a great, great writer. I hope you like his books! Thanks for stopping by, and happy listing.
I had Paul on my list, too! I wish I’d thought of James Herriot. I love his writing and animal stories. In fact, thinking of him makes me want to read some right now.
Paul’s one of my favorites. And Esther as well, even though she’s not an author. 🙂 Now I want to read my Herriot books as well, but they’re currently on a bookshelf 4 hours away from where I am. Figures. I love everything he wrote — he seemed like the sweetest, kindest, and funniest guy.