This week’s theme for Top Ten Tuesday (hosted by Jana at That Artsy Reader Girl) is:
New-to-me authors I read in 2020.
There are lots of authors I read for the first time last year, but I have listed here a mixture of some that I loved and definitely want to explore further and some that I’m still not sure about.
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1. Robertson Davies – I enjoyed Fifth Business, the first book in Davies’ Deptford Trilogy, so the next logical step is to read the next book, The Manticore. I hope to get to it at some point this year.
2. Dorothy B. Hughes – I loved The Expendable Man, published by Persephone, and am looking forward to reading more of her books.
3. Hella S. Haasse – In a Dark Wood Wandering was another of my favourite books from last year. Her other novels all sound intriguing; I just need to decide which one to try next.
4. Ann Patchett – The Dutch House was a surprise; I hadn’t expected to enjoy it as much as I did. I had previously dismissed her as not for me, but will now have to investigate her earlier books.
5. Matthew Plampin – Mrs Whistler is a fascinating novel about the artist James Whistler and his relationship with Maud Franklin; Plampin’s other books all seem just as interesting!
6. Maggie O’Farrell – I didn’t love Hamnet as much as most other readers seem to have done, but I liked her writing enough to want to give her another chance.
7. Carol McGrath – I enjoyed The Silken Rose, a novel about Eleanor of Provence, and am looking forward to reading Carol McGrath’s next novel about another medieval queen, Eleanor of Castile, when it is published later this year.
8. Georges Simenon – Now that I’ve read Simenon’s atmospheric 1934 novella, The Man from London, I think I’ll have to try his Maigret series next!
9. Joseph Conrad – Lord Jim was my first Joseph Conrad book, apart from an earlier failed attempt to read Heart of Darkness. I don’t think he’s my sort of author, although I could be tempted to try one more, possibly Nostromo.
10. Ethel Lina White – The Wheel Spins is the book on which The Lady Vanishes was based. Although I didn’t love the book as much as the film, I’m now interested in reading more of her work.
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Have you read any of these authors? Can you recommend which of their books I should try next?
She Reads Novels 
Finding new authors with back lists is so much fun! I hope you can stop by;
https://collettaskitchensink.blogspot.com/2021/01/top-ten-tuesday-2020-new-to-me-authors.html
Colletta
Yes, it is. I just wish I had more time to read all their back lists!
Simenon can be great, and I hope you enjoy his Maigret series! I also previously read his The Blue Room and found it very good.
Simenon’s books had never sounded very appealing to me for some reason, but I’m glad I gave him a chance last year. I’m pleased to hear you enjoyed The Blue Room.
Great review! I added several books to my TBR! I have a copy of the Doll’s House but I have not read it because of similar sentiments, but now I am encouraged to give it a try. Heart of Darkness did not work for me either and I do not think Conrad is an author for everyone; however my heart broke after reading The Secret Agent!
If I do try Conrad again, I don’t think it will be Heart of Darkness but I’ll consider reading The Secret Agent.
I enjoy the Maigret books but some are better than others – there are so many! I’ve started to read The Heart of Darkness at least twice and didn’t get on very well with it. Years ago I watched Lord Jim, with Peter O’Toole in the lead role and loved it – maybe I should try reading that sometime. I don’t think Hamlet is as good as some of her other books – I enjoyed The Hand That First Held Mine, Instructions for a Heatwave and I Am, I Am, I Am, which is a memoir. I loved Mrs Whistler and would very much like to read more of Plampin’s books too.
I do want to try the Maigret books, but I’ll bear in mind that some are better than others. Coincidentally, I came across the Lord Jim film on the television a few weeks after reading it, and although it wasn’t quite the same as the book, it did give me a better understanding of the plot and characters. I might try one of your Maggie O’Farrell recommendations – thanks!
I loved finding new-to-authors in 2020 and I thoroughly enjoyed writing my post this weeks Top Ten Tuesday. I always find it so much fun going back and looking at all the new authors I have discovered in the previous year.
2020 wasn’t really a great year of reading for me, so I was pleased to find that I’d still managed to discover lots of new-to-me authors!
I feel the exact same ☺️ I’m so glad you discovered lots of new-to-me authors too ☺️
Well you know I’m a fan of Robertson Davies! I’ve been meaning to read Georges Simenon, hopefully in French. I have a copy of “Le chien jaune” to try.
I had never even thought about trying Robertson Davies until I read about him on your blog, so thank you! I hope you like Georges Simenon.
I’ve heard so many good things about Hamnet and I love the 16th century so it’s about time I read it!
I wasn’t really a fan of Hamnet, but most people love it, so I hope you do too!
I’ve heard good things about The Dutch House.
My post.
I loved The Dutch House – it was one of my books of the year for 2020!
An interesting list! Conrad can be difficult but I enjoyed his Secret Agent very much. And one day I will get to Robertson Davies!!
I’m not convinced that I’ll ever be a Conrad fan, but I’m always happy to give an author another chance and will think about trying The Secret Agent!
I love how varied your list is! Makes for good reading.
Here is our Top Ten Tuesday. Thank you!
Yes, I’m pleased I managed to read a good variety of authors in 2020!
I’ve read and loved all of Ann Patchett’s books… don’t think you can make a bad choice. This will be the year I finally read Maggie O’Farrell!
I’m glad to hear you loved all of Ann Patchett’s books. I’m not sure why I thought I wouldn’t like her!
Love the cover and the premise of Hamnet, that’s going to my TBR! Happy reading! https://readwithstefani.com/popular-books-i-did-not-finish/
Yes, Hamnet has a beautiful cover!
I have read almost all of those authors although not necessarily those books. The new ones to me from your list are Matthew Plampin and Carol McGrath. I take that back. I have never read anything by Robertson Davies, but I keep thinking I’ll read him. I’ll have to look at your review again to see if it’s one I might pick.
Robertson Davies wrote four trilogies which are all supposed to be good, so I don’t know if I picked the best one to start with.
I think I am more familiar with one of the trilogies.
I forgot about your question. Anything by Ann Patchett is good, I’ve found, although I think I liked The Dutch House best. In a Lonely Place by Dorothy B. Hughes is good. My favorite Maggie O’Farrell so far is The Disappearing Act of Esme Lennox. If you are interested in Joseph Conrad, you have to read Heart of Darkness. I’ve only read short stories by Ethel Lina White, so I will be happy to read the novel you mentioned. I am only familiar with In a Dark Wood Wandering by Haasse, and that I read a long time ago.
I think In a Lonely Place will probably be the next Dorothy B. Hughes book I try. I did start to read Heart of Darkness a few years ago but didn’t get very far with it so maybe I should give it another chance.
It’s been a long time since I read it. It’s very mysterious.
Same. I read a lot of new-to-me authors, but a lot of them I probably won’t keep reading. That’s okay because I found some gems as well. That’s just how it goes, I guess.
Happy TTT!
Susan
http://www.blogginboutbooks.com
Well, we can’t love every new author we try. I’m glad you found some gems!
I liked The Dutch House but I prefer some of Ann Patchett’s other books. Bel Canto and Commonwealth are favorites. I haven’t read Hamnet yet, but I loved Maggie O’Farrell’s essay collection I Am, I Am, I Am, so I’d recommend that.
I’m looking forward to reading Ann Patchett’s other books, especially if you think some of them are better than The Dutch House!
I enjoyed Maggie O’Farrell’s Instructions for a Heatwave.
You’re the second person to mention Instructions for a Heatwave. Maybe I’ll try that one.
I think the only author I’ve read on this list is Anne Patchett. (Although I didn’t love State of Wonder.) But I’m hoping to read a Joseph Conrad book this year. fingers crossed. 🙂
I want to read more Ann Patchett books, but maybe I won’t start with State of Wonder. I hope you enjoy whichever Joseph Conrad book you read.
I don’t read much current fiction but I’ve loved nearly everything by Ann Patchett. (I was supposed to attend a book reading with her last March and was so disappointed when it was obviously canceled.) She’s probably best known for Bel Canto which is wonderful. I also loved Commonwealth, The Patron Saint of Liars, and State of Wonder. If you enjoy memoirs, I highly recommend Truth and Beauty, which is both beautiful and heartbreaking.
It’s good to know you’ve loved most of Ann Patchett’s books, Karen. I think I’ll probably try either Bel Canto or Commonwealth next, but I’ll keep the memoir in mind too. Thanks!
I think Ann Patchett is very gifted *and* she supports books by owning a bookstore! I couldn’t put The Dutch House down although I didn’t like any of the characters very much. Years ago my grandmother was living in an upscale retirement community she hated and my mother and I kept trying to get her to join the book group. When we saw a flyer saying they were reading Bel Canto, we got it for her and thought it would be the breakthrough to making friends. She loved the book as we had but said, “Oh, it would spoil a wonderful book to have to discuss it with the other inmates.” Which proves some people like to enjoy books in solitude!
I didn’t really care for most of the characters in The Dutch House either, although I thought the book was wonderful. All of Ann Patchett’s other books sound intriguing, but I think Bel Canto is probably the one that appeals to me most. I sort of agree with your grandmother as I’ve never had much interest in joining a real-life book group, but funnily enough I love discussing books with people online!
Until Hamnet, I think my favorite O’Farrell was The Vanishing Act of Esme Lennox. Try that one.
A few people have recommended The Vanishing Act of Esme Lennox to me and it does sound good, so maybe I will try it. Thanks.
In a Dark Wood Wandering looks wonderful. I also remember you reviewing The Expendable Man, think you mentioned it in your top 10 books of 2020? Now I just want to know why he gave that girl a lift? Sigh.
And coincidentally, I’ve just started on Davies too for Cloak & Dagger, but my pick is What’s Bred in the Bones. A bit on the slower side, but I guess I’ll have to pay attention because that’s where the clues would be!
Yes, The Expendable Man and In a Dark Wood Wandering were two of my top 10 books of last year. I hope What’s Bred in the Bone improves for you soon. Fifth Business was a bit slow to start too, but I ended up enjoying it.
Ann Patchett and Maggie O’Farrell are two authors I always love. Good to see them on your list.
I loved Ann Patchett, but not so much Maggie O’Farrell. I would like to try more books by both of them, though.