Siddhartha bent down, picked up a stone from the ground, and weighed it in his hand. “This here,” he said playing with it, “is a stone, and will, after a certain time, perhaps turn into soil, and will turn from soil into a plant or animal or human being. In the past, I would have said: This stone is just a stone, it is worthless, it belongs to the world of the Maja; but because it might be able to become also a human being and a spirit in the cycle of transformations, therefore I also grant it importance. Thus, I would perhaps have thought in the past. But today I think: this stone is a stone, it is also animal, it is also god, it is also Buddha, I do not venerate and love it because it could turn into this or that, but rather because it is already and always everything— and it is this very fact, that it is a stone, that it appears to me now and today as a stone, this is why I love it and see worth

and purpose in each of its veins and cavities, in the yellow, in the gray, in the hardness, in the sound it makes when I knock at it, in the dryness or wetness of its surface. There are stones which feel like oil or soap, and others like leaves, others like sand, and every one is special and prays the Om in its own way, each one is Brahman, but simultaneously and just as much it is a stone, is oily or juicy, and this is this very fact which I like and regard as wonderful and worthy of worship.—But let me speak no more of this. The words are not good for the secret meaning, everything always becomes a bit different, as soon as it is put into words, gets distorted a bit, a bit silly—yes, and this is also very good, and I like it a lot, I also very much agree with this, that this what is one man’s treasure and wisdom always sounds like foolishness to another person.”

“Why have you told me this about the stone?” he asked hesitantly after a pause. “I did it without any specific intention. Or perhaps what I meant was, that love this very stone, and the river, and all these things we are looking at and from which we can learn. I can love a stone, Govinda, and also a tree or a piece of bark. This are things, and things can be loved. But I cannot love words. Therefore, teachings are no good for me, they have no hardness, no softness, no colours, no edges, no smell, no taste, they have nothing but words. Perhaps it are these which keep you from finding peace, perhaps it are the many words. Because salvation and virtue as well, Sansara and Nirvana as well, are mere words, Govinda. There is no thing which would be Nirvana; there is just the word Nirvana.”

I can't choose just one, but my top of all time is Charles Dickens, followed by a whole list of others.

H.P. Lovecraft. I don't know if you're into horror, but his style has always intrigued me. Cosmic horror and fear of the unknown; horror that makes humanity's existence seem irrelevant in the grand scheme of the universe. In my opinion, he mastered writing psychological horror and by that, I mean the concept of experiencing something truly terrifying and what that would do to an otherwise logical human being; what would happen if you truly witnessed the impossible - something so horrifying and inconceivable that it makes you instantly question your own understanding of the world.

I agree. I also think Dostoyevsky was a deeper thinker than Tolstoy, although not by much.

Among modern writers, I was impressed with Nathan Englander. His short stories are uneven; I'd recommend "Sister Hills," "What We Talk About When We Talk About Ann Frank," and "Free Fruit for Young Widows," which really delves into the evil people are capable of. HIs novel "The Ministry of Special Cases" is outstanding; it's about what a Jewish couple goes through in 1970s Argentina after their son is "disappeared" by the regime.

My favorite is Jane Austen. I have read all six of her major novels ( three of them twice), as well as her shorter and unfinished works.

I love the tone she sets, her ironic wit, her characterizations, and the gentility of the time period in which she writes.

I love the Aubrey/Maturin series by Patrick O'Brian. If you're going to read the series, I recommend limiting yourself to 4 or 5 books per year and interspersing other books.

I'll happily read anything by John LeCarre; he writes great spy thrillers. I'll happily read anything by Alan Furst; he writes thrillers set in obscure corners of WWII.

I think Jane Austen would be my favorite author if there were more of her books available. Pride & Prejudice and Emma are two of my all time favorite rereads, and I just wish there were more books in that style, with those sorts of amusing observations and that mix of wonderful characters and absurd characters.

I read a fair amount of science fiction, and I will read anything by William Gibson. I also love the Radch trilogy by Ann Leckie and look forward to reading more by her. I've read a bunch by Neal Stephenson including the Quicksilver trilogy.

I love Douglas Adams; he presents a great mix of humor and clever science fiction ideas. I love Terry Pratchett; his Discworld series likewise mixes humor and clever ideas & observations.

And J.K. Rowling is a great author; both the Harry Potter books and her mysteries are great reads. I don't support all her politics, but that doesn't take away from the superb quality of her writing.

My favorite author, since I was about 11, is James Baldwin.
I enjoyed Anne Rice (in all her incarnations), Robert B Parker, Anais Nin, Ursula K. LeGuinn,
a local author, J. California Cooper, and Maya Angelou. I used to read so much more than I do now, which is a shame.

Dostoevsky is brilliant.
Russian names. Tell me you didn't have to take to writing a list of who's who with everyone calling them something different.
But he wrote about a single incident in the Brother's Karamazov that made me want to switch my brain off so I wouldn't experience the horror, because I understood it really happened. I've only had that experience a few times. Another time was something I saw. The third time was a story a man told me in Sierra Leone about something that happened in the civil war. I finally understood why people can become catatonic - you shut down part of your mind so you don't face it. For me it was just a temporary coping mechanism. I usually face anything, head on, no flinching, and do what I need to do. It takes something significant to cut through that.
Favourite writer? I'll have to think.

Mark Twain. i love his style

Douglas Adams, for his wit, and humor. He had a great way of capturing the absurdities of life, and humanity, in imaginative stories.

it's between Steven king and H.P. Lovecraft 🤔

Dostoevsky and Anton Chekhov. Chekhov short stories are great to read about mundane life has some other deep meanings.
Some are tragic, some are really blissful and real human feelings I can relate to and find out many surprises.
Crime and Punishment was my first literature book and the characters helped to learn empathy and I had such a big pity on Raskolinikov.

E Poe

Over my whole life, as a writer, Larry McMurtry has had the biggest influence on me. Nowadays it's Daniel Woodrell who writes what I call "Hillbilly Noir" which is what I write.

Stephen King and Mark Twain

Clive Barker. A modern day horror master who takes EAP, Lovecraft, and King to the extreme.

Well put, long ago i had a slim volume covering those 3 along with Kafka, since then i grouped them together, Dostoevsky through being a novelist may have put into practice the existentialist viewpoint, or as i saw a volume describing it as Conviction Theology.

You should read Ivan Turgenev.

William Faulkner is man because he's the first author that really made me fall in love with his characters and connect with them. He's also the father of Stream of consciousness writing. I'd write and rewrite so many of his quotes into my notebooks.

That’s a big question. 🤔 Would be easier to list my top ten or something.

These days, Christopher Moore. Gotta love a guy with titles like SHAKESPEARE FOR SQUIRRELS: A NOVEL, LAMB: THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO BIFF, CHRIST'S CHILDHOOD FRIEND, or THE LUST LIZARD OF MELANCHOLY COVE.

I like to read Dickens at least once a year if I can. I wouldn't say he's a fave but I don't bother with any otger author that way.

William Shakespeare from classical literature.

Elena Ferrante or Donna Tartt from contemporary.

Not to forget Alistair MacLean. Tons of stuff about blowing up oil rigs and stuff.

Loved Ice station Zebra.

Wilbur Smith is really good. Lots of action and stuff.

Dr. Seuss has taken center stage in my reading list. My grandkids love it and I love reading to them. Also Richard Scarry is held in high regard by the little rascals.

Ernest Hemingway and his Granddaughter Lorian🤗❤️❤️✍️

i like true story ones

tolkien

Stephen King the list is endless, needless to say I love fantasy and horror. 😂

I don’t have a fav. I like many authors but Khaled Housseini Is at the top of my list

Douglas Adams