Thoreau and Chekhov take the top two positions. If this was a lower division of the English league, Joyce, Kafka, Tolstoy and Camus would be in the play-off spots for the final promotion position.
I've been discussing some of these names with a group of friends and would like an opinion from the members here. It's that simple. Some of these are MY favorites, some are my friends favorites. We think we could get some ideas of the level of popularity of these authors and , in general, members favorites.
I'd agree on Chekhov, but I'd switch Joyce and Thoreau. In terms of English-language writers, I'm in the camp that believes no writer has written better prose than Joyce. Moreover, his style varied radically depending on the needs of the story/book, and he was adept at all of those styles and voices. Persons who find Joyce intimidating because of Ulysses are missing the breath-taking closing of "The Dead." Hemingway is a fine stylist, but he's a one-trick pony. In one century, the Irish had both Joyce and Yeats. It's no wonder that the English try to claim Eliot as one of their own.
Okay. No need to make faces. Kind of seems like, "who is the cutest chick in the 1991 Marshall High School class", but okay.
True. I'm not as well versed in drama, but Shaw could be added to that list. It is pretty amazing, though. In the 20th century, England produced exactly no one at the level of stature as Yeats (in poetry) and Joyce (in prose). Who did England produce. Auden? He's fine, but he's no Yeats.
Chekhov and Kafka. I don't like quite a few authors on that list though. Absolutely no bonus points as to which one in particular!
The orchestra is playing the threadjack theme. Shall we dance? And yes, the threadjack theme was composed by Sleater-Kinney.
I know Ganu can't be right about good old Fyodor. He's the poo, and everyone needs to take a big sniff. Just kidding. I know he's not everyone's cup of tea, but I seriously love his work.
Did you know more great movies have been made from Dostoevsky's work than any other "great" novelist? I'm not sure why.
Had to go with Dickens and Joyce. But then, I'm probably most familiar with those two off this list as well. I don't think I've ever seen a film based on a Dostoesvsky work, Gringo. Give me a couple to start with. (I'm assuming these are mostly Russian movies?)
Actually, I'm not aware of any great Russian movies of his work. All these are available on DVD (those in bold in Region 1 DVD): Pickpocket by Robert Bresson Une Femme Douce by Robert Bresson Four Nights of a Dreamer by Robert Bresson Le Notti Bianchi by Luchino Visconti The Idiots by Akira Kurosawa Partner by Bernardo Bertolucci
When he was admitted to the Brazilian Academy of Letter many Brazilian authors and critics raised a stink. I'm not a fan of his work either, but if you are learning to read in portuguese his and Amado's novels are an excellent starting point. And as far as Amado, I don't know if any of his books have been translated suitably to english. This isn't to say that he is a great author, though, only that his novels are enjoyable and passionate in the original language.