Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly linkup of book bloggers hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl! This week, we’re talking about authors who you hear are coming out with a new book and it gets pretty much instantly added to your to-buy list. Not all of these authors are flawless, and they’ve written some stuff that I didn’t care for in most cases, but I’m usually excited enough about how good they have the capacity to be that I’m willing to give them a chance straight away.
Margaret Atwood: I love her ability to build characters while weaving in powerful themes and compelling plots, and her work always gives me something to think about.
Neil Gaiman: His humor and sheer storytelling ability mean I’m always interested in what he writes.
Michael Chabon: He knows how to put together a family epic like no one else.
Kazuo Ishiguro: He’s got a way of drawing you into a story and then just amping up the quiet tragedy bit by bit until you’re devastated.
Jhumpa Lahiri: Her writing is always elegant without sacrificing the ability to hit an emotional knockout punch.
Alison Weir: I love royal histories, and that’s what she does, using facts to create compelling narratives.
John U Bacon: I’m obsessed with Michigan football, and so is he.
Mary Roach: Her books aren’t big serious stuff, but they’re always interesting and bursting with humor and curiosity.
Lawrence Wright: He takes big, wide-ranging subjects and manages to put them into a narrative that pulls you along and helps you understand without feeling pedantic.
Jeffrey Toobin: When it comes to the legal and political systems, Toobin has the kind of panache and analysis I find super compelling.