Book meme: an A-Z of authors

This meme has been doing the rounds for some time now, and I wanted to try and give it a fresh spin: after all, it's not that I couldn't include Austen et al on a list of fiction I have read, alphabetical by author. No, my concern is that such a list merely confirms a lot of similar lists. Perhaps trying to come up with a list of slightly more off-beat texts - ones you may not have already read will prove more interesting for me to write -- if not for you to read.

• Armstrong, Kelley: Bitten
  The first and possibly the best of her werewolf family based stories


• Brookmyre, Christopher: One Fine Day in the Middle of the Night
  I could have gone for any number of CB's fictions, but I have a special love for the Parlabane stories. It could have something to do with this performance or this reading.


• Calasso, Roberto: The marriage of Cadmus and Harmony
  A delightful blending of mythologies


• Danielewski, Mark Z.: House of Leaves
  I know I keep banging on about this book, but I still love it and still enjoy reading it regularly. A totally twisty headfuck that ramps up the tension with its multi-stranded narrative.


• Ellroy, James: American Tabloid
  A grand spreading tale around one of my favourite subjects (the JFK assassination)


• Fforde, Jasper: The Eyre Affair
  Still the most breathtaking and enjoyable of his novels and therefore a fine introduction to an always fun and smart writer


• Grundin, Robert: Book - A Novel
  A 1992 novel that seems to lack almost any kind of footprint on the net. It's a fiction about fiction and academics: I'm a sucker for this sort of thing.


• Hall, Steven: The Raw Shark Texts
  Post-modernism? A bit fantasy-esque? Twisty narrative? Thanks, I'll buy it.


• Iles, Greg: Dead Sleep
  Rather nasty and ultimately predictable thriller. Can't say I didn't enjoy its page-turning skills though.


• Juster, Norton: The Phantom Tollbooth
  Still one of my childhood books, a vivid play with words and numbers.


• Krauss, Nicole: The History of Love
  Even just thinking about this story makes me well up with tears; a poignant and touching multi-stranded tale.


• Lurie, Alison: The Truth About Lorin Jones
  It's about an art historian and feminist art history: of course I like it. Sad that it seems to be out of print...


• Miller, Martin: Lonely Werewolf Girl
  Read quickly because it was just so darn much fun and gripped me throughout.


• Noon, Jeff: Pollen
  Still creeps me out even thinking about this book: a vivid bit of fantasy.


• O'Flynn, Catherine: What Was Lost
  A fabulous capturing of voice and place that has stolen the hearts of all who have read it. A remarkable debut.


• Phillips, Marie: Gods Behaving Badly
  What is wrong with you people!? BUY AND READ THIS BOOK! It's warm and very, hilariously funny.


• Q.... na, sorry, stumped on this letter.


• Rosoff, Meg: How I Live Now
  A book for 'young people'? Just a fabulously tender tale. I couldn't bare to listen to the radio reading because the story breaks my heart.


• Sudbery, Clare: The Dying of Delight
  Clare is brilliant and brings all of her characteristic verve to the page.


• Tyler, Anne: The Amateur MarriageA gift from a friend and a story I loved reading.


• Updike, John: Seek My Face
  Another art history related tale of a scarcely veiled Pollock, Krasner and Guggenheim tale.


• Vidal, Gore: Empire
  Shades of heiresses and powerplays: the only Vidal novel I've finished...


• White, Antonia: Frost In May
  I went for one classic text on this list, partly because I think it may have fallen out of favour, but its a much loved text by me.


• X... nope


• Yalom, Irvin D.: When Neitzsche Wept
  It's about Freud and Neitzsche. It's a lot better than that sounds...


• Z... stumped me there too.

Done.