Nine By Design 10

This week's version of Nine By Design is being published a little early.  I'm working on a bigger blog entry that will hopefully be done for Monday.  It all depends how motivated I can get and what unexpected things happen here at home.  Which lately is almost a daily occurrence.  Is getting something earlier than expected a bad thing?  I think not...most of the time at least.  Today's topic is Authors.  I'm an avid reader, as is, my wife.  In fact, most of my friends read quite a bit.  I think it's one of the common denominator's I look for in people.  Do you read?  If you do, I'm instantly interested in what you have to say.  This is not the only factor in being my friend.  My brother doesn't read and I still like him, most days.  On with our list...

Authors:

Nick Hornby

I first discovered Hornby with this book, but he's written so many others worth reading; About a Boy, Fever Pitch and 31 Songs, to name a couple.  It also helps that music is important in a lot of his books.  For me at least.

Chuck Klosterman

Chuck is right up my alley.  He writes about music, movies and pop culture.  He's an encyclopedia when it comes to that stuff.  One of my inspirations for this blog, but he does it sooo much better than I.  Other suggested reading by him include; Fargo Rock City and Eating the Dinosaur.  Really anything he writes...a check, phone number...etc.

Philip K. Dick

I generally read non-fiction books.  So, when I read fiction, especially, science fiction, it has to be amazing and that kids, is what Philip K. Dick is.  A very prolific writer, a lot of his work has be made into movies.  He wrote the books or stories that became; Blade Runner, Total Recall and Minority Report, amongst others.  To top all of that, he wrote these stories/books between the 1950's and 1970's.  What an imagination.

John Updike

He wrote my favorite series of books, called: "The Rabbit Series."  Rabbit Angstrom is one of those great literary characters, someone we can all recognize with.  He has the same problems, joys and faults we all do.  Besides this amazing work, he wrote: The Witches of Eastwick, various short stories, poems and non-fiction essays.  A man of many talents.

John Feinstein

I discovered John Feinstein by accident.  I was listening to a sports radio show about 15 years ago and he was promoting one of his books.  I think it was A March To Madness (amazing).  I'm not really a basketball fan.  I watch a bit of the NCAA Tournament and the NBA Playoffs, if the Celtics are doing well.  So, knowing that, I was completely glued to the radio listening to him talk.  He's a great storyteller, that makes you feel like you're right there with him.  I have yet to read anything bad by him.  Suggested reading: Next Man Up and Tales From Q School (I don't like golf either, but it's his writing).

Mark Twain

I look at Twain as the Beatles of the literary world.  Did he really do anything bad?  Don't get wrong, he may have, because I haven't read everything he's ever done, but so far...he's pretty darn good.  He was incredibly prolific and one of America's early humorists.  All you need to know is: Tom Sawyer, Huckleberry Finn, The Prince and the Pauper and A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court.  All still relevant today.

Jack Kerouac

I was really into Kerouac when I was in high school.  I love the way he writes.  If jazz could be written down in words on paper, it would be his prose.  I have to be in the right mood to read his work these days.  Just not the same person I was 20 years ago, but is anyone?  Suggested reading: On The Road, The Subterraneans and Desolation Angels.

Clive Barker

I don't like horror, but I like Clive Barker.  Does that make sense?  He's just so much more than that genre.  I'm still a huge fan of his short stories to this day.  It's a more intelligent fantasy, horror and science fiction.  Not taking anything away from any other authors.  Barker just has a way to suck you in.  Suggested reading: Books of Blood Vol.1-6, Cabal, The Thief of Always.

Hunter S. Thompson

Buy the ticket, take the ride.  One of the best non-fiction writers I've ever read.  A complete and utter madman, but still amazing.  He wrote a lot of articles.  Something like 100 articles just for ESPN Page 2, near the end of his career.  Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas is a must, but so is; Fear and Loathing: On the Campaign Trail.  He can be a little hit or miss, but he was one of a kind, with an interesting take on life.  He did commit suicide, because he wanted to go out on his terms and his ashes were fired out of a cannon.  Nobody was going to tell him how to live.

We've made it to the end of another weekly list.  Just a little earlier.  Happy Weekend...Cheers!