Who is the greatest of them all? When the Guardian referred to Martin Amis as 'Britain's greatest living author' last week, one reader was so outraged she threatened to emigrate -or worse.

http://books.guardian.co.uk/comment/story/0,,2019583,00.html

What do you think?

That's a really good question. So many different sorts of authors, for so many reasons.

JKR, for encouraging children to read
Jacqueline Wilson
Margaret Forster
Cormac McCarthy
Joyce Carol Oates
Ali Smith
Lionel Shriver

to name but a few.

Ah, but if it's Britain's greatest living author, then quite a few of these (admittedly very fine) authors can't qualify.
I would nominate;
Jackie Kay
Ali Smith
Jeanette Winterson (she'd probably be my number one)
um... there must be some men... but they are all irish, John McGahern but he's just died, blimey, hard isn't it?

John Le Carre

JKR? Is that a joke?

JG Ballard, has to be.

JB

Ishiguro? I've only read The Remains of the Day by him but I'd seriously consider giving it to him just for that.

JKR for children's fiction? Yup, I'll second that.
Plus Michael Morpugo.

Me?

living author, geoff

Philip Pullman. I think Kazou Ishiguro would definitely be up there too.

For sheer success, you could argue (reluctantly) Jeferey Archer (sorry, sorry, sorry).

Colin M

Of course 'greatest living author' doesn't necessarily mean the person who has written the greatest books...hence my inclusion of JKR.

JKR is a very fine example, and I totally support the nomination because as you say, her influence to get people reading is breathtaking, and whatever you think of her writing, her basic idea, written the way it was just worked. Even if you argue that it wasn't her basic idea, she obviously delivered it better than other writers because half of her publicity was down to word of mouth - so she did something right!

Colin

It is a shame it has to be living authors. Top of my list of dead'uns would be Oscar Wilde, and Agatha Christie.

Bram Stoker. Some people call it pulp, but you can't argue the influence that Dracula has had on literature, movies, music and fashion.

Oh, well if you're having Dracula, I'm having Mary Shelley & Frankenstein.