Who is Britain’s greatest living writer?

Feb 23, 2007

Who is Britain’s greatest living writer?
Good question. The Guardian puts it to the test.

8 comments or trackbacks

#1 posted by Eroom Nala

Mar 9th, 2007

Well the greatest dead writer would have to be Shakespeare I suppose.
Glad to find Stoppard in the top 4.
He may be British but he was actually born in Czechoslovakia.
Likes to describe himself as a bounced Czech.
His original birth name isn’t very British

Tomá? Straussler
#2 posted by Eroom Nala

Mar 9th, 2007

PS his new play sounds interesting

http://www.radio.cz/en/article/80581

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rock_’n'_Roll_(play)
#3 posted by John

Mar 9th, 2007

I fixed one of your links, an apostrophe threw it off.

These lists are always problematic since they’re usually about favourites and popularity rather than quality. Stoppard is a rare example of a playwright getting a look in, usually people only consider fiction writers in polls like this. Poets, playwrights, essayists seem to be cast as lesser beings.
#4 posted by Eroom Nala

Mar 9th, 2007

Very true
1001 Books you must read before you die doesn’t include a single play or book of poems or essays.
#5 posted by Abel Diaz

Mar 14th, 2007

Alan Moore. Not only is he Britain?s greatest living writer, he is the greatest writer of the English language with blood still pumping through his heart. I can’t understand why The Guardian would even need to ask this question. They should have simply announced the answer: Dear everyone, Alan Moore is Britain?s greatest living writer. There is nothing to discuss. We just thought you should know.
#6 posted by John

Mar 14th, 2007

Alan is on my list, certainly. Along with the New Worlds crew–Moorcock, Ballard and M John Harrison–and probably Iain Sinclair for his essays. Just don’t ask me to pick a favourite. None of these people featured in The Guardian story, of course.
#7 posted by Andy McDuffie

Mar 30th, 2007

I wouldn’t presume to know the answer to this question. In fact I doubt an answer is findable or even desirable. Like John above, I have a lot of admiration for M John, Moorcock, Sinclair, Moore & Ballard. I also think Christopher Priest is still grossly and criminally under-rated.
#8 posted by Tim Williams

Apr 2nd, 2007

Alan Moore. Not only is he Britain’s greatest living writer, he is the greatest writer of the English language with blood still pumping through his heart. I can’t understand why The Guardian would even need to ask this question. They should have simply announced the answer: Dear everyone, Alan Moore is Britain’s greatest living writer. There is nothing to discuss. We just thought you should know.

Seconded!