Writers and other artists of 20 century which in your opinion will be remembered

[dumbledore11214]

--- In HPFGU-OTChatter at yahoogroups.com, Shaun Hately <shaun.hately at ...> wrote:
<SNIP>
.> But in terms of 20th Century English language authors who I think will 
> endure - George Orwell. Graham Greene. C.S. Forester. Terry Pratchett. 
> Rudyard Kipling. Arthur C. Clarke. John Buchan. James Joyce. C.S. Lewis. 
> Aldous Huxley. P.G. Wodehouse. Noel Coward. JRR Tolkien.
>

Alla:

Yes, I think Orwell is definitely a likely candidate, but for me he is an author of one haunting book (I have not read anything else by him), did you find his other works just as good? Animal farm is also his, right?

I wondered about C.S.Lewis of course when I thought of Tolkien, but I may have said it in the past - Lewis' books popularity (as works of art) is something I just do not really understand, to me his books are just very "in your face" retellings of Christianity for kids and some of them, especially last one got so preachy that I wanted to throw the book against the wall, but of course he is quite popular and it is possible that his popularity will stand. I mean, of course Tolkien is somebody who was deeply influenced by Christianity in his writings, but for me Tolkien wrote something very universal and what people of any faith (or atheists) can love. Lewis' writings just make me angry.

I do love Arthur Clarke and Rudyard Kipling, I am just wondering if they will stand up a test of time, for me they are absolutely terrific writers, I just wonder if they are good enough to be remember for a very long time.

I am curious about James Joyce, VERY curious in fact. I was very very proud of myself when I finished Ulisses in English, but boy oh boy I have not had an urge to pick up any other work of his. Yes, he used original writing technique in his book, yes, he made the reading of said book extremely long affair (and of course it is understandable that I will struggle, but I know several well read English speakers who felt the same way), but would the ordinary person still know him? I would bet that he would fall in obscurity and pretty fast, but of course I can be wrong, since I am aware that in many literary circles Ulisses was considered a work of genuius.

I have not read anything by Huxley, Forrester or Buchan or Noel Coward. Anything by this writers that you would recommend in particularly? I always try to fill in as many "cultural gaps" as I possibly can :)

I tried Pratchett, I tried him a lot (two or three books) and I know how many people love him, but I guess his humor just does not work for me.

Shawn, thank you, I am so glad to have a chance to ramble about writers and books :)