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Thursday, December 10, 2015

#AMonthofFaves: 5 New-to-Me Author Discoveries


#AMonthofFaves, hosted by Traveling with T, Estella’s Revenge, and GirlXOXO, continues. The prompts this month cover a wide variety of fun, end-of-the year-ish topics. Today's prompt asks about authors we discovered this year.

With all the talk about Anthony Trollope and his Chronicles of Barsetshire  on the blog this year, you might expect him to top my list. But while Mr. Trollope has  been added to my list of favorite authors, he's not a new discovery. I first read The Warden  over a decade ago and, shortly afterwards, began reading The Way We Live Now  with an online book group. Unfortunately, I fell behind schedule (it's 800 pages long) and put it aside. It remains on my shelf ... with a bookmark at page 322.



 5 Fave “New to Me” Author Discoveries, 2015


Elena Ferrante
The Neopolitan Novels  are beautifully written and intense, but her identity remains a secret.




Atul Gawande
Being Mortal  caused me to think about important end-of-life issues.




Nickolas Butler
Shotgun Lovesongs is unusual because the focus is on male friendships. 




 Bill Clegg
Did You Ever Have a Family is a debut novel that lived up to the hype. I loved it.




Ta-Nehisi Coates
Between the World and Me, a National Book Award winner, is one of powerful book!





Julie Mulhern
Let's make this 6 favorite author discoveries. I never knew cozy mysteries could be so much fun! 



Tell me  about your favorite author discoveries of 2015.
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38 comments:

  1. rhapsodyinbooksDecember 10, 2015 at 6:54 AM

    I just got the Butler book! And the Ferrante - I've heard so much about! Coates: starting today in the car!

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  2. Sarah (Sarah's Book Shelves)December 10, 2015 at 8:23 AM

    YES to Nicholas Butler and Bill Clegg! Butler was on my Best Debuts of 2014 list and Clegg is one of my faves of this year. If you haven't tried Beneath the Bonfire yet, I highly recommend it. I normally do not like short stories, but loved Butler's collection.

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    1. JoAnnDecember 10, 2015 at 1:58 PM

      Sarah - Beneath the Bonfire is on my list. I was hoping to get to it before the end of the year, but I doubt that's going to happen.

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  3. Monica's Bookish LifeDecember 10, 2015 at 8:41 AM

    Thanks for sharing your new discoveries! I have Being Mortal and Did You Ever Have A Family in my TBR pile and am looking forward to reading them in 2016. Also, I love the quotation of the day from Flaubert! :)

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    1. JoAnnDecember 10, 2015 at 1:59 PM

      Monica - Those are both great books! Glad you mentioned the quote... have often wondered whether anybody reads them :)

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  4. Katherine PDecember 10, 2015 at 9:15 AM

    I'm so glad you enjoyed the Mulhern books! Ferrante sounds really good and your reviews have been tempting me! I need to read Did You Ever Have a Family.

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    1. JoAnnDecember 10, 2015 at 2:00 PM

      Katherine - I can't wait for the next book in Mulhern's series! Think I read that it will be out in the spring...

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  5. bermudaonionDecember 10, 2015 at 9:27 AM

    I haven't read any of those but own most of them. I'm so behind on reading!

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    1. JoAnnDecember 10, 2015 at 2:01 PM

      Kathy - That's exactly what I think when I see everyone else's list!!

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  6. Terra December 10, 2015 at 12:46 PM

    I got bogged down in the first Ferrante but plan to pick it up again and finish it. My favorite author new to me this year is Anthony Trollope and I have read 8 of his books this year. Lots of romance in these books! There is a Trollope group on Facebook and we will soon start a group read of The American Senator. Come on over anyone who is interested.

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    1. JoAnnDecember 10, 2015 at 2:04 PM

      Terra - I can see how that book could bog you down. All the names and families were very confusing! When I finished My Brilliant Friend I wasn't sure about continuing with the series, but found I could not get the characters out of my mind. Three months later I went on to book 2, then reached through 3 and 4!

      Trollope is a new favorite, but not a new discovery. After finishing The Barsetshire Chronicles, I'm looking forward to reading more. Recently joined the facebook group, too!

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  7. AnonymousDecember 10, 2015 at 12:49 PM

    Ferrante! Ferrante! :)

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  8. AnonymousDecember 10, 2015 at 2:24 PM

    So many good one I need to try next year! I might just start participating in the Ferrante craze, too ;)

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    1. JoAnnDecember 10, 2015 at 5:49 PM

      Ifyoucanreadthis - #FerranteFever is highly contagious... be careful;-)

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  9. AndiDecember 10, 2015 at 3:13 PM

    Ferrante and Clegg are highhhh on my list for 2016. Also, Zen Cho. Her stuff sounds amazing. Just throwing that one in as a bonus. lol

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    1. JoAnnDecember 10, 2015 at 5:51 PM

      Andi - MUST try Zen Cho! I've learned about so many new authors today.

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    2. AndiDecember 12, 2015 at 8:38 PM

      She keeps popping up on Book Riot podcasts and sounds SO GOOD.

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  10. LindseyDecember 10, 2015 at 3:15 PM

    I must read the Gawande in 2016. I actually had it out from the library, but I didn't get to read it because I checked out too many books! The problems of a reader are never-ending, I tell you.

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    1. JoAnnDecember 10, 2015 at 5:51 PM

      Lindsey - I plan to check out Gawande's earlier books next year!

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  11. ElizabethDecember 10, 2015 at 4:19 PM

    Wow...I don't know any of these authors except Elena Ferrante.

    They all looks amazing, though. Love the book titles and covers.

    THANKS for sharing.

    Elizabeth
    Silver’s Reviews
    My A Month of Faves

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    1. JoAnnDecember 10, 2015 at 5:52 PM

      Elizabeth - Hasn't it been great to learn about so many new authors today? I've enjoyed reading everyone's posts!

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  12. IlianaDecember 10, 2015 at 8:32 PM

    Elena Ferrrante is an author I really would like to read one of these days. This year I also discovered Atul Gawande. Just finished his book and that will more than likely make it to my favorites of the year list.

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    1. JoAnnDecember 13, 2015 at 4:05 PM

      Iliana - Gawande's book will definitely be on my list of favorites this year, too. Ferrante's writing is intense and very personal... like nothing else Ive read.

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  13. Brian JosephDecember 11, 2015 at 7:40 AM

    This list looks great.

    I am determined to read Between the World and Me sometime over the next year.

    I did not know that the identity of Elena Ferrante was such a mystery. I just Googled her name. The enigma surrounding who she is is so interesting.

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    1. JoAnnDecember 13, 2015 at 4:18 PM

      Brian Joseph - Have a feeling you will appreciate Between the World and Me.

      The Financial Times recently included Elena Ferrante in an article about Women of 2015:
      http://www.ft.com/intl/cms/s/2/1f019b5c-9d18-11e5-b45d-4812f209f861.html

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  14. https://booksthoughtsadventures.comDecember 11, 2015 at 2:26 PM

    I really do love learning about new authors from other readers...the only one I can remember right now is the author who wrote The Widow...it was her first book! I think I read too much!

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    1. JoAnnDecember 13, 2015 at 4:19 PM

      Patty - I've discovered so many new-to-me authors by reading these posts this week!

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  15. Beth FDecember 12, 2015 at 7:05 AM

    Exactly what Kathy (Bermudaonion) said.

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    1. JoAnnDecember 13, 2015 at 4:20 PM

      Beth F - A problem for all of us I'm afraid...

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  16. jessicabookwormDecember 12, 2015 at 5:24 PM

    I haven't read any of the authors on your lists. I have read new fantasy novels by Cheryl Mahoney and fascinating historical non-fiction by Susan Doran. Plus I have read some classics for the first time by Frances Hodgson Burnett and Edith Nesbit. I look forward to reading more by these authors.

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    1. JoAnnDecember 13, 2015 at 4:21 PM

      Jessicabookworm - The first two authors you mention are new to me... cant wait to investigate all the authors I've learned about this week!

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  17. AnonymousDecember 13, 2015 at 3:40 AM

    Completely agree with Elena Ferrante!

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  18. JoAnnDecember 13, 2015 at 4:19 PM

    Vicki - You ve got some great reading aged of you :)

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  19. LisaDecember 29, 2015 at 11:28 PM

    I need to discover all of these authors!

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