I’m pinching this superb idea from Simon’s Stuck-in-a-Book and creating an alphabet of my current favourites.
A = Kate Atkinson (Anything except Human Croquet).
B = William Boyd (Slowly working my way through the backcatalogue. Here and here.)
C = Michael Collins, James M Cain
D = Roald Dahl (Because I refuse to grow up!)
E = Umberto Eco (The Name of the Rose)
F = Michael Frayn (Headlong hilarious, Spies superb!)
G = Janice Galloway, Andrew Greig from Scotland. And I’m a recent convert to Mrs. Gaskell.
H = Patricia Highsmith
I = Kazuo Ishiguro (I thought Never Let Me Go an understated masterpiece and I shall be reading Remains of the Day very, very soon)
J = Clive James (I love the humour, I love the intelligence …), P D James (I love Adam Dalgleish …)
K = Molly Keane (Good Behaviour funny but so sad ….)
L = Andrea Levy (Small Island is unbeatable.)
M = Brian Moore (So good he deserves a blog of his own ….)
N = Jo Nesbo (Detective Harry Hole doesn’t just drink, he’s a full scale alcoholic)
O = Panama Oxridge (Loved Justin Thyme to pieces. When’s the second one due? )
P = Ann Patchett (Bel Canto one of my personal top 10.)
Q = ?
R = Phillip Reeve (The fantasy of the Mortal Engines sequence is simply phenomenal.)
S = Theodor Storm (The master of the novella. See here and here.)
T = Leo Tolstoy (War and Peace is great, Prince Andrei is just delicious!)
U = Barry Unsworth (He received my vote for the greatest living British author last year.)
V = Fred Vargas (Quirky French crime)
W= John Wyndham (A maestro of science fiction), Edith Wharton (recent convert alert!)
X = ?
Y = Richard Yates (Miserable but ever so beautifully written)
Z = Stefan Zweig (Another master of the novella)
As I’m still working through the backlists of most of the above, I expect each and every one of these names to make further appearances on this blog during the next twelve months. Obviously I need some Es and Qs and Xs to complete the project. Any suggestions?
Lizzy's Literary Life (Volume One) 
What a wonderful list. I’m glad you think so highly of ‘Never Let Me Go’ because it’s just turned up on my reading group list. And I’m definitely with you over Philip Reeve. ‘Here Lies Arthur’ (totally different, but every bit as good as ‘Mortal Engines’) has just been short-listed for this year’s Carnegie.
Having finished The Missing at 2am this morning, I nominate Thomas Eidson for the E spot.
How about something by Anna Quindlen for Q? I can’t think of any titles at the moment except for A Short Guide to a Happy Life, which is on my TBR list. I’ve read 2 or 3 and have “more Anna Q” on my TBR list. Black and Blue? Sorry, it’s too early in the a.m. to remember!
X and Q have got me stumped, but as for E…did you read last year’s Booker winner, The Gathering, by Anne Enright? Lots of negative comments about the book, but I quite liked it in a miserabilist, bleak kinda way.
Oh, I don’t see myself attending Enright’s “The Gathering”. I feel it may well be too miserable …. even for miserable old me!
If not Anne Enright (I don’t want to attend that one either!) what about Elizabeth Enright? She wrote the books about the Melendy family, which you might have read as a kid. They are superb.
Oh for heaven’s sake. Now I scroll down the bloglines window and see that the VERY NEXT POST is about Elizabeth Enright!
I’ve only read one book by Anna Quindlen – Blessings – I thought it was good. I do have another on my tbr list – Rise and Shine – I read somewhere that it’s good as well.
I saw this on Simon’s blog too and am writing my list as well. It’s not that easy as my favourites keep changing.
I’ve got an E now
E = Eliot and the book is Middlemarch. How could I forget?
Anna Quindlen’s Good Dog. Stay. is a wonderful little book, as well.
For ideas on Q and X this blog might help:
http://a-zreadingchallenge.blogspot.com/
I’m an Enright fan myself – you gotta try The Gathering, Lizzy. I actually found a lot of it funny.
Your list makes me aware that I still haven’t read Unsworth and must do something about it.
You may want to visit this site for some ideas. 🙂
Hello, I haven’t visited here before but wanted to see your list. Not much overlap with mine except that we both have F for Frayn. Yes!
Umberto Eco for “E.” I’ve never even heard of Phillip Reeve. Now I’m going to have to check him out!
Oh yes! How could I forget The Name of the Rose? Couldn’t finish Baudelino though!
Bizarrely I was stumped for J, which was surprising, though I’ve been giving a few suggestions since. X is just tricky.
How wonderful to find someone else who loves Theodore Storm! I also adored Immensee. And this is a lovely list with all kinds of treats on it.
Nice list! I love William Boyd; I started with Restless and have been prepping to read his backlist (purchased a few for my TBR). There are lots of ideas for me here, thanks a LOT!