A New Author will probably already have published a bunch of books one can dive into and will in most likelihood be publishing new books if not annually then certainly decennially (like Jeffrey Eugenides - a book in 5-10 years, but worth the wait), unless you happen to run into a Classic you haven't yet read, in which case you can just blame bad luck for it. A New Author,when added to the list of your favorite authors will increase the likelihood of finding readable books published out of sync with each other. So you can well imagine how fortunate I've been this summer to come across two New Authors to read!
There really is no formula for finding a New Author. Some browse the internet, some ask for recommendations in their local library or bookshop. Me, I turn to my friends for help. And with great results, I might add. In the past I've been blessed with authors such as Kate Atkinson, Jonathan Coe, Colum McCann, Jennifer Egan, Mark Z. Danielewski, Dave Eggers and many, many more. Sure, I've come up with a few on my own, but it certainly helps to have friends who read.
This summer I was told to read Sarah Waters. So on I went to the local library which boasted on their wide selection of Waters. Well, the reality was very different from the fantasy created on their lousy website, but I did manage to get a hardback translation of The Night Watch. Once I managed to get over the off putting format and the language (I prefer reading books in the original language, although when it comes to foreign languages I truly only manage English and Swedish with just a little Russian and Spanish), I ended up quite enjoying the book. Set in the 1940's it follows the stories of 6-8 people more or less connected to each other. The 3 episodes are set in 1947, 1944 and 1941 - in this order. So you never learn what happens to the people because the beginning is also the ending, but you start building their future in your head through looking into their past.
A truly fascinating portrayal of the everyday life during and after the war, The Night Watch is also a suspense novel about people on the margins living in difficult situations during a distressing time (as if life during wartime wasn't difficult enough). But the every day life is pretty much the same for everyone, with routines and worries and work, so to me the true value of the book was in the glimpses into the reality of 1940's London with bombings and food shortage and death and decay and blinders - but also with love and hope and plans for the future.
Now a true friend not only recommends books - she sends them to you! So a few days ago a parcel arrived in the mail: The Little Stranger by none other than Sarah Waters. Apparently a ghost story - possibly a scary one, too - so far I’ve only glimpsed at it. I think the best plan is to read it in broad daylight. Certainly not in the evening, alone. We'll see. But that's something to look forward to in the near future!
Oh, who was the other New Author? Well, that's a whole topic on its own, wouldn't you agree?
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