Which author's should we read?

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Since the discussion is a bit off topic on the “Which Catholic authors to steer clear from?” thread, I thought I would stand it on its head.

Which author’s do you all think are edifying, or worthy of reading?

I will start it off by saying I have three favorite author’s for general reading.

2 were Catholic
1 was Anglican

They are JRR Tolkien, GK Chesterton, and CS Lewis.

Kinda strange that they all have abreviated first names and all are british (well Lewis was north Irish but close enough)

They are still very good

Who would you recommend reading?

A lone Raven
 
well I enjoy Agatha Christie…and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle along with Nicholas Sparks…
I do enjoy other authors too:)
 
There’s also the saints’ writings that have been neglected in modern times. We ought to be reading holy people’s words if we wish to learn how to be holy. Yes? 🙂
 
My list:

John O’Donohue
Matthew Fox
Marcus Borg
Joan Chittster
Jim Wallis
Walter Wink
John Shelby Spong
Megan McKenna
Richard Rohr
Richard Gula
 
Della said:
There’s also the saints’ writings that have been neglected in modern times. We ought to be reading holy people’s words if we wish to learn how to be holy. Yes? 🙂
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true…but sadly some like me just cant get into that style of writing
 
One point I would like to make about reading some of the older saints. Many here have trouble with the archics style used.

The interesting thisng is that very few (none?) of the saints or doctors wrote in English. So the writing style is also a functiuon of the translator.

Here are a couple of works that I find exceptionally readable.
The Story of a Soul St. Therese Liseaux. Original was written in French only a little more than 100 years ago and is quite readable, All the translations I have found are quite readable. She was not highly educated yet was well read and her style is quite engaging, even for those turned off by Charles Dickens. [The book] If you drive a car or have an iPod, consider reading by listening. [audio Book]

Introduction to the Devout Life St. Francis de Sales translated by John K. Ryan. [the book] Audio book] Originally in Italian (I think, perhaps Latin) This is an exceptionally readable translation and one I highly recommend.
 
I was just on the other thread (steer clear) putting on some Catholic authors. Here they are:
So here I come with some recommendations for authors.

G.K. Chesterton. For the mystery addicts-- read his “Father Brown” stories. Then move onto into his nonfiction and prepare to be pleasantly surprised. Google–start with the shorter books if you wish, or take them on like you would a big sprawling epic, in bite-sized gulps.

Hillaire Belloc–for history and for nonfiction that seems eerily prophetic.

Like poetry? Try Gerald Manley Hopkins and Joyce Kilmer. Or Alfred Noyes --including his “The Unknown God.”

Like more contemporary stuff? How about Grahame Greene?
Or Flannery O’Connor for short stories, contemporary.

Rumer Godden’s works include “In this House of Brede” and “An episode of sparrows”.

Ernest Hemingway was a convert to Catholicism–and a marvelous writer.

Piers Paul Read wrote “Alive” (about the plane crash in the Andes Mountains) and also about “the Great Train Robbery”.

Muriel Spark (whose works include “The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie”).

Evelyn Waugh and J.R. R. Tolkien’s works never put me to sleep.

Like science fiction? Try Gene Wolfe with his marvelous allegory.

Or Anthony Boucher for mysteries.

Of course there are our own Karl Keating, and Scott Hahn. Not to mention St. Therese’s “Story of a Soul” (very readable). Thomas E. Wood Jr’s “How the Catholic Church Built Western Civilization”. Willa Cather’s “Death Comes for the Archbishop.”

Read some of these; then come back and I’ll be certain to have found some more.
 
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