All time favorite *modern* authors (and the books that made me love them)

[@shisharma]

Frederick backman is like the magician of emotions one moment you are chuckling at the antics of a stubborn old man and the next you are passionately rooting for a small town hockey team in "Beartown." He's got you covered from grumpy to gutsy!

[@CarolynMarieReads]

I couldn’t agree more! Perfectly said 😊

[@suexicana]

​@@CarolynMarieReadsI live in Sweden and I am trying to read 'En man som heter Ove' in Swedish. Although there are many words that I still don't understand, reading it in the original language is a delightful experience. I am in page 65 and I am completely captivated by Fredrik's writing. I have also the Beartown series and Anxious People in my bookshelf. Looking forward to reading them all. I didn't know he has a parenting book but it will be fun reading it. I love your channel. Thanks for sharing and regards from Gothenburg, Sweden ❤🇸🇪🤗

[@Heartonmysleeve-gj1kp]

An Irish author who died a number of years ago and was very popular may spark your interest. In fact two of her novels were adapted for the screen, Circle Of Friends and Tara Road and I believe there's a Danish movie called Italian For Beginners that was largely based on another. In fact I did recommend to an Italian friend this author and she has since read several of her novels. The author I refer to is Maeve Binchy.

[@anthonym.7653]

Ishiguro is one of my favs. Never Let Me Go & The Remains of the Day are two of my favorite books. What I love most about his books is how they have a subtle brilliance that sits with you a long time after reading them.

[@juliehughes1258]

Anthony, these are the Ishiguro books I own. Looking forward to reading them both.

[@anthonym.7653]

@@juliehughes1258 I think you will. Enjoy reading them!

[@shisharma]

And for Sally Rooney , for me her writing style is like if she wrote a travel guide, it wiuld be less about destinations and more about the life changing conversations you'd have along the way , Normal People is my favourite the way she proves that sometimes the most compelling stories are the ones that feel the most real.

[@Lynn_Ann_Jackson]

I was just waiting for you to say Claire Keegan! I loved Small Things Like These by her, as well as The Remains of the Day and Klara and the Sun by Ishiguro, A Man Called Ove by Backman, and Normal People by Sally Rooney. You are spot on with your choices and have inspired me to read the rest of their stellar works. Thanks, Carolyn!!📚❤

[@barbarazech596]

Can relate so much...I also bought my first Swedish book without even speaking a single word of Swedish. I have taken some classes since and continue learning on my own, so I am currently reading Björnstad (and I bought the entire trilogy when traveling to Sweden last year). I hope you'll be able to read Fredrik Backman's books in Swedish one day!

[@TheLinguistsLibrary]

5 simple tips for language learners: 1. Follow creators in your target language (stick to topics you know and love like books or sports) 2. Buy a cook book, if you're learning a nonphonetic language (like French) try getting the audio to go with it. (Pairing your senses to new words as you shadow read goes a long way) 3. Get a language journal, write quotes you like and anything else you find useful. Next, try to talk about your day in your target language. (Working on your past simple is half of your verb-tense journey) 4. Reread a book you love in your target language and watch the adaptation if possible 5. Listen to music in your target language as much as possible

[@leander8840]

great advice !

[@maliha3921]

Fredrik Backman is my favourite author. And the way you explained his writing is exactly how i feel , his books make you feel every single emotion in the best possible way . And every time someone asks me what his books are like , i just say “ his book feels like a warm hug “ so when you said that it made me feel soo happy and I’m really glad I found your channel ( yesterday) loving your content, and you’re extremely beautiful 🥺❤️

[@mlieli]

One of my favorite author is Lars Mytting and I’m anticipating reading the third book about ’Hekneväven’ that recently came out in Swedish, it’s such a unique story with a beautiful blend of relationships and art and mysticism. I really can’t make the book justice in my poor english writing but please give him a try, you will not regret it.

[@michellealmer1125]

Alka Joshi‘s trilogy The Henna Artist, The Secret Keeper of Jaipur and The Perfumist of Paris made India come alive in my brain and I didn’t want it to end. She has a new book coming out next year!

[@CherryBlossomXX93]

Ahh, I was just reading a book that I was like… I bet Caroline and Emma would love this! It’s called There There by Tommy Orange and he has become an instant-buy author for me (even though he only has 2 books so far 😢) Here’s a quote that I just about passed out over (and it’s talking about the trauma of Native American people that lives on through generations): We are the memories we don’t remember, which live in us, which we feel, which make us sing and dance and pray the way we do, feelings from memories that flare and bloom unexpectedly in our lives like blood through a blanket from a wound… Ohhhh myyyyyyy ❤❤❤

[@cafeaulivre]

I discovered Claire Keegan myself earlier this year, when I picked up Antarctica. I was blown away by the mastery of the short story and now I want to read every single one of her books.

[@AdamFishkin]

Recommendations? I'll start with Lindsay Ellis, whose sci-fi series (Noumena) I'm currently reading. She dives into subjects as heady as geopolitics, mass media, existentialism and trauma with both an emotional maturity and a razor-sharp sense of humor. The way she crafts a story is so cinematic. Matthew Quick (author of "The Good Luck of Right Now") is someone who's really good at following likable characters through weird headspaces. David Mitchell (author of "The Bone Clocks") is someone who knows how to make mundane and messy family/relationship problems spiral into epic mind-bending multiverse(?) problems. Shaelin Bishop is someone who doesn't have a full-length novel published yet, but she does have short stories available online. Her work is flowery and alluring but also prickly and puzzling. "Hold Me Under Till I See the Light" is a banger of a story to start with: it involves cults and sexual awakenings.

[@chiarabertoldi2992]

Thank you Carolyn for introducing me to Fredlick Backman on your previous videos, it was the best discovery of my year so far, can't wait to read more from him! 😍❤ One of my go to authors that I will always buy anything from is Mohsin Hamid, I love Exit West, The Reluctant Fundamentalist is also amazing, I would love it if you could give him a try! Hugs from Italy ✨

[@rnee1000]

LOVE Fredrik Backman!!! My favorite poetry: Mary Oliver and David Whyte. Novelists: Jodi Picoult, Lucinda Berry, Anita Shreve, Dani Shapiro.

[@WatermelonSugar1209]

They are all from the Anglo Saxon world. You should check out authors from different backgrounds and cultures. Jhumpa Lahiri is one I would highly recommend.

[@haerhawk]

My favorite author of this year has to either be Alexandre Dumas(made me think 1300 pages for Edmond Dantes wasn't long enough,also shares a birthday with my favorite youtuber *e m m i e*) or Franz kafka's metamorphosis(book so good it brought my stonehearted self to tears)

[@kauru3844]

I have Never let me go and The remains of the Day sitting on my bookshelf!! (Thanks to you!) 😊

[@CarolynMarieReads]

Yay! I hope you enjoy them 😊

[@Mentat1231]

Ursula LeGuin was this for me, until she passed away a few years ago. She was just perfect. 100% agree on Kazuo Ishiguro, as well, though I have some older books of his I haven't gotten to yet.

[@PatrikOrjes]

I'm sligthly embarrased that I haven't read any Fredrik Backman yet since we're both from the same country. Maybe I should get on that. 😅

[@juliehughes1258]

Patrik, don't be embarrassed -- just get in! I think you will enjoy his books. I've read A Man Called Ove (for a book club) and Anxious People. I've also read one of the hockey books but I can't remember which one. I enjoyed all of them and they were very different from one another.

[@PatrikOrjes]

@@juliehughes1258 I'm interested in the Beartown trilogy (that's the hockey one you mentioned) and I'm also interested in "And Every Morning the Way Home Gets Longer and Longer". I'll probably start with one of these.

[@shakilaparizad]

The Pale View of Hills is my favourite Ishiguro book and one of my all-time favourites! I can’t wait for you to read it, and love to know what you think about it!

[@bujobyfilo]

My favorite authors are probably Daphne Du Maurier and Rohinton Mistry. But considering "modern" as in "still publishing" I'd say Neal Shusterman, Olivia Atwater, Katherine Arden. Adding Clare Keagan to my list immediately 🌸

[@mandyschmidt7960]

Dear Carolyn, I just discovered your channel a couple of days ago and I've been enjoying your videos tremendously. You really ignited an urge to read more and particularly more classics which I never had before. I'm very much looking forward to reading Tolstoy one day soon but I started on a lighter note with Sherlock Holmes today and I cannot tell you how much I enjoy the flowery language and jovial storytelling. (Have you read any Sherlock Holmes? It's really fantastic!) Thank you so much for being so passionate about books and sharing that love for reading with us and making other people (us) more passionate about books. Its such a beautiful thing and it makes me so happy!

[@alyssaguevarra8687]

Britt Marie was my 1st Backman book. Bought it at our bookstore cuz of your recommendations to read Backman books.i loved it! I hope you get to read it soon ❤

[@AllyEmReads]

I don't really read the same genres as you, but my favorite authors are V.E. Schwab (I will always buy and read anything she puts out, no matter what), Rick Riordan (again, I'll pretty much read anything he puts out), Madeline Miller, Katherine Arden, and I'll also say Naomi Novik but specifically for her series, I don't have much interest in her standalone novels. I could probably also say June Hur and Ruta Sepetys, since I do own all of their books and have enjoyed them all, but none of their books have been true favorites of mine.

[@bujobyfilo]

I love Katherine Arden and Ruta Sepetys too! I've only read the first 2 books in The winternight trilogy for now, and Between shades of gray. What do you recommend I read next by them?

[@amesiesasmr]

Also, (as an Irish girly🤭) another Irish author that I would highly recommend you read is Paul Murray. I think you’d really love his most recent novel, The Bee Sting. It was shortlisted for the Booker and imo, it should’ve won!

[@magda_mf]

Yes, me too - just can't wait for Intermezzo! I want to read it immediately 😩 My favourite Sally Rooney was Conversations with friends! 😊

[@bobreaderman5542]

If you love Ishiguro, you need to read Remain of the Day. One of my top 10 all-time novels. The Artist of the Floating World is also terrific.

[@denisefreitas6727]

Gosh, Carolyn, i also love Kate DiCamillo! I would love a video about her! 💖

[@litchantress_tamil]

I was hoping to see Ishiguro and Backman and I am just so happy!!!!!!

[@amesiesasmr]

Carolyn! You’ve gotta read A Pale View of Hills - it’s fantastic! Save it for the autumn, I’d say ;)

[@filmandsuchh]

I would love a more in depth video of you raving about either sally rooney or ishiguro! I love them both and would absolutely loooveeeee to listen to an hour long video of u raving about them 😅

[@piretbaumann2574]

Backman has also written Anxious People (way better than the title!) and My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She's Sorry (also a full length novel).

[@vintagelace7076]

I just started reading The Phantom of the Opera..so far so good!

[@almatoledo1608]

Super-enjoyed!

[@DarcyRussell-x1o]

I've read: "Because of Winn Dixie" and "The Tale of Desperaux", "Remains of the Day" is one of my favorites. I read "Never Let Me Go as well - but I prefer "Remains of the Day" as science fiction is not my favorite genre. Claire Keegan is now on my favorites list. Small Things Like These and Foster - oh my goodness - I truly enjoyed these short novels. I fell in love with the protagonist in Small Things Like These and the with the couple who cared for the little girl in Foster. Along with Claire Keegan, Andrea Barrett, Sara Nisha Adamas, Ruth Hogan, Barbara Kingsolver and Maggie O'Farrell would be on my list.

[@scox0005]

Loved this video and agree with all of these!!! When you get around to Elena Ferrante's Neapolitan novels, I bet she'll be on this list too! Especially if you're learning Italian.🙂

[@juliehughes1258]

I've read Foster and I have Small Things Like These on my Kindle. Seeing both of the physical books side-by-side makes me want physical copies of both. I'll read Small Things Like These though, and if I like it, I'll get the book book.

[@madebylora]

My favourite modern author is Kate Morton. I’ve got all 6 of the books she’s published so far, and 5 of those are my top 5 modern books, so does that mean Kate Morton counts as my top 5 authors? Hahaha. (The only one I didn’t like as much was just because there was a ghost element to the story which I don’t like, but I still loved her writing in it)

[@monicamoskovics8686]

Erin Morgenstern. I loved The Night Circus and have not been able to pick up the Starless Sea and you articulated SO well why... it is the last one she published and...

[@cassietower9694]

I highly recommend Matt Haig and Paulette Jiles! Their work is absolutely wonderful, I buy everything they write, but never hear anything about them on booktube

[@blackbird4244]

Hey! Can you please make a list on your favorite book friendships. I'd love to here about them.❤

[@Floridiansince94]

I love The Tale of Despereaux !

[@robingriffin476]

I would add Louise Erdrich, Barbara Kingsolver, Louise Penny, and Amor Towles. Thanks for sharing your faves! I enjoy your videos. :)

[@WaterBearReads]

It's strange because in all our reading I think we have only read one of Kate DiCamillo's works - The Journey of Edward Tulane- and my son and I both loved it. I keep meaning to pick up her others especially "Winn Dixie" and "Desperaux". This video reminds me to work her books into our reading lists! Thank you! We love and are quick to purchase works by Peter Brown, author of 'The Wild Robot' series. Have you read any of those? Have a lovely day!🌻

[@neshkavirdure8289]

Thank You So Much for This Most Awesome Video😊👍👍📚📚📚LOVE Kate Di Camillo's Books Much😊📚Haven't Read Ferris...Yet😊📚

[@luludi3]

My favorite modern authors are Alice Hoffman, Erin Morgenstern, Kelly Barnhill, Susanna Clarke and Diane Setterfield.

[@jackiesliterarycorner]

My favorite authors are Kate Morton, Stephen King, Robin Hobb, and Brandon Sanderson. I'm reading Unconsoled by Kazou Ishiguro.

[@jamesduggan7200]

Yeah, I'm still mired in the 20th cent. (tho I did like very much A Man Called Ove [also recently finished Keegan's Antarctica]), trying to catch up with Rory Gilmore at 10 books a year. I'm reading Anne Sexton's Complete Poems now, and am almost done with my first William FAulkner, Absalom, Absolom. I expect to read Katie's newest novel (her 2d) this month. Nevertheless, I very much enjoyed your presentation - thanks !

[@minimalqueen7523]

Brit Marie was SO GOOD!

[@malissamoench8587]

Thanks to your suggestions, I picked up books by Brian Selznick, and now I will read anything he puts out.

[@m.ei_j3702]

You should try to read In search of lost ime, it s a great book series nd you d definetly like the act thta it s full of beautiful nature descriptions, art refrences and literature

[@CarolynMarieReads]

It’s on my shelves, but I’m a bit intimidated 🙈 I’m so glad to hear you think I’ll like it though!

[@m.ei_j3702]

@@CarolynMarieReads Yes you should definetly consider it, even tho it s know for the very long complicated sentanxes, i personally don’t think it’s that difficult ❤️

[@bananapeel892]

The only reason I haven’t read more Backman is because how much I cried when I read A Man Called Ove. I’m not against crying, but that amount of crying just gets unpractical man. It’s not unusual for me to cry from a book, but I’ve never cried like that. I know I have to read more of his books.

[@starlasell5698]

❤📚📚❤️ ...yes, yes and yes!!

[@kimbarbeaureads]

Katherine Applegate, author of The One and Only Ivan and Leah Brunner are the two that come to mind.

[@Floridiansince94]

Lisa See - American novelist of Chinese descent

[@meryuk]

Yeh, ishiguro. Neil Gaiman to me, maybe he's looked down on as not literary enough, being a fantasy author. I'd agree with that, bc I find those 'literary' books quite boring. As opposed to the classics that are almost never boring.

[@anavalentinagamarra4008]

My favorite Kate DiCamillo Book is The Magician's Elephant

[@efluvial]

Have you read “my Grandmother told me to tell you she’s sorry” another Beautiful Backman novel.

[@almatoledo1608]

Garcia Marquez, Borges, Vargas Llosa...

[@lucaszelinger7648]

Fredrick Backman has some other books as well: My grandma sends her regards and apologies, Anxious people

[@aminrezagh]

Allow me to recommend Becky Chambers. I think you know her and she is without the doabt one of the most original sci-fi writers of her generation. 📚

[@almatoledo1608]

Isabel Allende

[@vintagelace7076]

What do u do for work besides this?

[@DadaIVYyou]

Elena Ferrante for me

[@cathybalke]

I tried reading Normal People, but her lack of use of quotation marks really turned me off. I couldn’t get past 4 pages. I need to give it a try again.

[@jmsl_910]

maybe. maybe not... i pushed through and was sorry i did. i wasn't a fan of Conv w Fruends either. maybe i'm not her target audience

[@catherinevallek]

I thought you'd add Neil Gaiman too 😯

[@aleenakhan6230]

I think he was not included because of his current sexual assault allegations

[@catherinevallek]

@@aleenakhan6230 oh wow haven’t hear of that! I’ll look it up

[@judykovach6912]

Thot you had come up on my search for Elisabeth Jane Howard…?.. do u hv any videos that mention her?

[@smrfymrfy]

My favorite authors are dead

[@rianorogers9474]

first

[@Cakewalkingbaby]

I respect your opinion and think that loving a book is also a matter of taste but for the life of me I just cannot understand how anyone that reads and loves Dostoevsky and Tolstoj can at the same time love Beartown, because that books is technically written awfully. I tried reading it and it’s literally one the worst books I’ve read because there was absolutely no depth, a lot of repetition and proverbial cliches to the extent that it was ridiculous therefore I couldn’t finish it. Now I know “it’s probably a matter of taste”. Still love your energy and your videos but that book…I couldn’t 🙏

[@seanoconnor2865]

I subscribe for your content, but I have to say how stunningly beautiful you are and what a lovely voice you have. I don't think one should withhold complements, so there you go.

[@aadilaturkey-vy4kq]

No Neil Gaiman??

[@DavidBrown-om8cv]

What do Kate DiCamillo fans think about Claire Huchet Bishop's books? en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Claire_Huchet_Bishop

[@jmsl_910]

i just reserved Ferris from the library! i had no idea she was still publishing. ty🤍

[@CarolynMarieReads]

Amazing! I hope you enjoy it 😊