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libraryrobin's review against another edition
3.0
As expected, some titles and authors of interest, many not.
powisamy's review against another edition
4.0
Book Review:
When I first saw the Book of Forgotten Authors available for review I have to admit that I was interested in the cover because let's face it, it's a really pretty cover. I was, however, interested in the overall concept as I did want to discover new authors especially older ones which I definitely did. The Book of Forgotten Authors is a great read for binge reading in one go or taking it author by author but you never know, you might find a new favourite!
The book features essays of 99 authors from a variety of different genres and eras from Christopher Fowler who I had to admit was a new to me author that I had never heard of before, I would, however, love to read more from him.
Christopher Fowler clearly knows his stuff. There is so much detail clearly put into the book and there seems to be so much care about what is written about each author. I can only imagine how much work would have gone into the book.
The book also features many different anecdotes of the author's lives which are so interesting, it is safe to say that they had some interesting lives that have some exciting adventures. I didn't realise that being a writer could be so entertaining.
Fowler's writing was also wonderful and it made it so easy to read and get through the stories. They are also very small and digestible which makes the whole book so much better.
I also found so many different authors that I would love to read and would happily pick this book up again and rediscover many authors that I will hopefully get to read soon.
The Verdict:
The Book of Forgotten Authors is a wonderful book that is perfect for those who love to read from those readers who want to find a hidden gem that might become a new favourite.
When I first saw the Book of Forgotten Authors available for review I have to admit that I was interested in the cover because let's face it, it's a really pretty cover. I was, however, interested in the overall concept as I did want to discover new authors especially older ones which I definitely did. The Book of Forgotten Authors is a great read for binge reading in one go or taking it author by author but you never know, you might find a new favourite!
The book features essays of 99 authors from a variety of different genres and eras from Christopher Fowler who I had to admit was a new to me author that I had never heard of before, I would, however, love to read more from him.
Christopher Fowler clearly knows his stuff. There is so much detail clearly put into the book and there seems to be so much care about what is written about each author. I can only imagine how much work would have gone into the book.
The book also features many different anecdotes of the author's lives which are so interesting, it is safe to say that they had some interesting lives that have some exciting adventures. I didn't realise that being a writer could be so entertaining.
Fowler's writing was also wonderful and it made it so easy to read and get through the stories. They are also very small and digestible which makes the whole book so much better.
I also found so many different authors that I would love to read and would happily pick this book up again and rediscover many authors that I will hopefully get to read soon.
The Verdict:
The Book of Forgotten Authors is a wonderful book that is perfect for those who love to read from those readers who want to find a hidden gem that might become a new favourite.
dawnlizreads's review against another edition
5.0
A fascinating review of once-popular authors who are now, as the title suggests, largely forgotten.
I nearly didn't buy it as I thought it was bleeding obvious why they were forgotten - they just didn't have the genius of Dickens & Austen etc. To some extent that's true but also it's because world events got in the way or their own self-destructive tendeincies did. A surprising number may be forgotten but their work isn't. Or rather the films/plays their work inspired are still widely known.
Overall, a great read for book lovers. Personally, I don't think I will seek out any of these authors. But, I do have a new-found appreciation for what happens to authors after their books leave the bestseller lists.
I nearly didn't buy it as I thought it was bleeding obvious why they were forgotten - they just didn't have the genius of Dickens & Austen etc. To some extent that's true but also it's because world events got in the way or their own self-destructive tendeincies did. A surprising number may be forgotten but their work isn't. Or rather the films/plays their work inspired are still widely known.
Overall, a great read for book lovers. Personally, I don't think I will seek out any of these authors. But, I do have a new-found appreciation for what happens to authors after their books leave the bestseller lists.
riaryan's review
4.0
An incredible amount of research must have gone in to this, and it's so incredibly interesting to read. 99 authors whose names will be (mostly) unheard of, but their output may be familiar. One thing's for sure, there are some movies, radio plays and theatre that wouldn't have happened without them.
kmg365's review against another edition
4.0
True confessions, librarian edition.
I have a love/hate relationship with books about books. The ones that simply give you information about an author's works, perhaps a little about the author's life, and a few quotes-- those I like.
The ones that are claiming to have identified the best books in a particular genre, or telling me that I must absolutely read a particular book or I don't deserve to call myself a bibliophile-- those turn into an argument with the specter of the author in my head that lasts for however many pages are in the book. Even if they recommend a book I like, they always like it for the wrong reasons. It is considered particularly heinous for a librarian to not like the books of Nancy Pearl (also a librarian), who has written many books about books that unfortunately all fall into the category that I cannot abide.
Given that I have written a lot of book reviews, and in some of them I have recommended the book to other readers, I can see why someone might start talking about pots and kettles. I understand. Oh, and I should clarify that I don't mind it when friends or acquaintances recommend books to me, in person or online. It only bugs me when they they've written a book that may as well be subtitled “Wherein I will correct your flawed views about books.”
Now that I've got that off my chest, I'm delighted to report that this book passed the smell test. Fowler not only does not make me feel pressured to read any of the authors mentioned, he manages to weave a bit of a narrative thread through what could have been a deadly dull list. It helped that he mostly focuses on the types of fiction that I enjoy reading-- mysteries, suspense, comic fiction.
Sometimes the story of the author's life is more interesting that what they wrote. At the beginning, I was jotting down author names from the audio pretty frequently (checking my notes, I have seven names that start with a B), but with over 100 authors mentioned, I developed a case of author fatigue, and only wrote down one name from the Ws, and there were a lot of W authors.
My to-read list did not need to be any longer, but thanks to this book, it is. To top it off, many of the works mentioned are out of print, and the chances of finding audio versions are probably slim. But even if I end up not enjoying any of the authors I sample as a result of reading this book, it was still a worthy read.