American or English Authors

[VanessaL]

I was thinking which are the best American or English Authors. I read both, but I do find that American authors have got more substance in there books sometimes.

[Isandriena]

I would have to say American. Most of the books I read are from americans such as Richelle Mead, Alyson Noël and PC Cast. I dunno how many booksmi have read that have been written by English people. The only one I can think of at the top of my head would be Anthony Horowitz.

[chesilbeach]

For me, it's impossible to answer the question because it really does depend on the individual authors and the genre of book they're writing, and honestly, I don't ever really think about it. I don't only read just American or English authors either, whether it's other English speaking (writing) authors or non-English speaking authors in translation, and it doesn't seem fair to just compare the two nationalities when I read others as well.

 

I can quite happily come up with a list of authors of both these two nationalities who I think write well and just as many who write drivel, and from my own reading, just looking at these two nationalities covers too wide a spectrum of writers to compare the two.

[willoyd]

I was thinking which are the best American or English Authors. I read both, but I do find that American authors have got more substance in there books sometimes.

 

Some American authors have substance, some don't. Same with English writers (and other nationalities too).

 

The last American author I read was in November last year, it being Mark Twain, immediately preceded by Donna Leon. Since then have read English, Scottish, Italian, Belgian, Swedish and Anglo-Egyptian authors. I don't think their nationality has had any impact on the quality of their writing.

Edited July 22, 2011 by willoyd

[chaliepud]

I'm with Chesil, I rarely think about or notice the nationality of an author unless I happen to read the bit in the book explaining a little about them or they are famous enough to know already. I would certainly never choose a book with an authors nationality in mind.

[lauraloves]

I'm also the same as Chesil, I actually couldnt tell if the author was British or American unless I actually looked into it, and it wouldnt make me pick a book either way!

[Easy Reader]

I tend to find American authors feel the need to describe more things and in more detail where as British authors tend to concentrate more on thoughts and emotions. But I echo above comments saying you could probably match like for like good/bad books/authors from each nation.

[Hayley]

I think off the top of my head I've enjoyed more books by English authors than American, people like Dickens, Pratchett, Roald Dahl and Lewis Caroll come to mind. But I've never really thought about it before now.

 

Saying that two of my favourite authors are Carlos Ruiz Zaphon and Markus Zusak, who are Spanish and German

[Echo]

It's really impossible to say. America and England both have their share of bad writers and literary geniuses, as do all other countries. I've read both. If I really had to choose, I would probably choose American authors as my favorites, just because I can relate better to the characters and their experiences. On the other hand, my favorite author of all is Japanese anyway. Good literature transcends nationality.

[Kell]

I've just taken a brief loko at my bookshelf and the majority of the books on there are by British authors. There are Americans, Canadians and other nationalities represented too though. As I only keep the books I really, really enjoy and collect books by those authors, I guess we can assume I like British authors best, but it really does come down to individual books and genres, as well as what kind of mood I am in.

[Kylie]

Saying that two of my favourite authors are Carlos Ruiz Zaphon and Markus Zusak, who are Spanish and German

 

 

Zusak is Australian.

 

Good literature transcends nationality.

 

Great point. I don't think you can really compare them at all because both countries (indeed, all countries) have their share of good and bad authors.

[Hayley]

Oh yeah Kylie! haha, I think I may have put German because I'd just been reading about Kai Meyer and it was talking about him being one of Germany's most successful authors

 

Markus.. Meyer.. close enough for my brain to get confused!

[Kylie]

Hehe. I thought you must have been talking about his family history because I'm pretty sure his grandparents at least were German.

 

I couldn't help but point it out because our Aussie authors aren't so well-known so we've gotta claim 'em where we can.

[Peacefield]

When you say 'best,' are you saying in sales? Talent? Just like film, music and art, I think it's kind of subjective and I can't really say or not which country has the better author. If I were to look at my own TBR shelf, I probably have an equal number of books from both America and the UK, with a couple other countries thrown in here and there .

 

 

[ian]

I don't it makes much difference to me where they come from, although I do tend to find out where an author comes from out of interest. When it comes to British of American, it's usually obvious: we really don't speak the same version of English! The only time it "spoils" a read for me is when an American writer trys to create a British character or scene and fails. I imagine the same would be true the other way round. Two examples that stick in my mind are;

 

Tom Clancy - The President meets Tony Blair (while he was sill PM) and Tony Blair addresses the President as "Old Boy".

 

I think a Clive Cussler book, where a CIA agent runs onto a remote Scottish train station just in time to see the train about to pull out of the station (a minor miracle in itself!) with the porter(!!!) shouting "All aboard!"

 

Ian

[SueK]

I tend to go for British rather than American authors simply because of the genre I read the most. Having said that Steinbeck's Grapes of Wrath was such a classic as is Mark Twain and Scott Fitzgerald. But I had the misfortune to pick up a Chris Kuznetski book once where he couldn't be bothered to research English universities and came up with the University of Dover - and made England sound like ye olde jolly Dicken's style country. That annoys me sometimes and I've found a few American authors tend to patronise us!

 

Edit to add I started a book earlier this year which was a pastiche of Sherlock Holmes v Jack the Ripper by an American author. I was doing OK with it until he started to quote the Baker Street Irregulars in the most dreadful cockney ish accents to quote: "Some sez 'e's a Jew w'iv a wild beard down 'is chest an some sez 'e's a butcher fwom da slaughter'ouses w'iv a l'edder h'apron, an' some sez 'ees a toff fwom da West H'end out to kill all da 'ores..." and I'm afraid the book lost all credibility after that.

Edited July 25, 2011 by SueK

[Roland Butter]

Edit to add I started a book earlier this year which was a pastiche of Sherlock Holmes v Jack the Ripper by an American author. I was doing OK with it until he started to quote the Baker Street Irregulars in the most dreadful cockney ish accents to quote: "Some sez 'e's a Jew w'iv a wild beard down 'is chest an some sez 'e's a butcher fwom da slaughter'ouses w'iv a l'edder h'apron, an' some sez 'ees a toff fwom da West H'end out to kill all da 'ores..." and I'm afraid the book lost all credibility after that.

 

Holy Dick Van Dyke, Sue!

 

Like most other people, I think it's all about the author, rather than the nationality. I find it difficult to attribute national "styles" to writers, I just think there are good writers and bad writers. Even our most ingrained stereotype over here in Britain - "Americans don't have a sense of humour" - gets shredded when you think of Dorothy Parker, or Carl Hiaasen, or all the people who voted for George W Bush ... (just joking, Marcia )

[Chrissy]

Good literature transcends nationality.

 

This is how I feel. It's the writing, not the nationality, and I have many of each on my shelves.

[nursenblack]

I've always romanticized England, so I naturally gravitate towards British authors. Not always, of course. I read many american novels, but my favorite stories and characters come from the "motherland". The names Austen and Bronte pretty much sum it up for me.

[emelee]

Swedish!

 

No, seriously, I don't know. You have to consider that the US is a bigger country than the UK, and therefore have more citizens who can become great authors.

 

So you have to count per capita, which just becomes complicated. So therefore, I do not know.

[frankie]

Personally, I don't really care whether the author is American or English. Or Canadian, Irish, or Scottish. Or even some non-native-English-speaker. And to answer the actual question, I haven't really noticed that much of a difference. There are too many authors to start comparing.

Edited August 3, 2011 by frankie

[Pixie]

Good literature transcends nationality.

I agree. Good literature has universal themes, so can speak to anyone from anywhere.

Having said that, I do see a differences between English and American authors. I can't say I have a preference, though. I enjoy the themes and characters of a book most, and if the author can reach me with these, it doesn't matter where he or she comes from.

[ian]

And the best part about reading authors from another country is that you learn things about that country that probably wouldn't unless you lived there for some time.

 

Ian

[lyn]

I was thinking which are the best American or English Authors. I read both, but I do find that American authors have got more substance in there books sometimes.

 

 

asking about 'the best authors' is very subjective. you have your opinion which you are entitled to. you can ask which authors do others prefer to read. as someone else has already pointed out - what are you basing your question on- talent? sales figures? per capita?

I read mainly English and Australian authors because that's my preference. if I say they are 'the best authors' that would be my opinion otherwise I wouldn't read them.

 

just my thoughts

lyn

[kelmaria]

I don't take much notice. as long as the book's good,it doesn't matter.