Waterstone's Tips 25 for the Top
May 17, 2007
SOURCE:The Bookseller
Waterstone's has selected an eclectic combination of crime, sci-fi and cookery writers, along with debut novelists and more established names, as its 25 "authors for the future."
The authors were nominated by publishers, editors and agents, who, as part of Waterstone's silver jubilee celebrations, were asked to choose who would go on to produce the most significant works of the next 25 years. A Waterstone's panel then selected the final 25 (see below).
SOURCE:The Bookseller
Waterstone's has selected an eclectic combination of crime, sci-fi and cookery writers, along with debut novelists and more established names, as its 25 "authors for the future."
The authors were nominated by publishers, editors and agents, who, as part of Waterstone's silver jubilee celebrations, were asked to choose who would go on to produce the most significant works of the next 25 years. A Waterstone's panel then selected the final 25 (see below).
"When Waterstone's asked the publishing industry to tell us who they thought would be the great talents of our second quarter century, we received a wonderful and eclectic array of nominations covering all tastes and genres," said managing director Gerry Johnson, who unveiled the list Wednesday night at a "25 Years in Books" party at Waterstone's flagship Piccadilly branch.
"It was incredibly tough to choose just 25 of them, but I think our final list includes a sparkling selection of talent—these authors will be on the bestseller and the awards lists for years to come." Waterstone's booksellers also voted Philip Pullman's Northern Lights as the best book of the past 25 years, with Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone topping the list voted for by the general public from a shortlist of 25.
Waterstone's will run a three-for-two promotion for both its 25 authors for the future and the best 25 books of the past 25 years as chosen by the public (see below for list).
Waterstone's 25 Authors for the Future:
Naomi Alderman (novelist)
Susanna Clarke (novelist)
Siobhan Dowd (novelist)
Jasper Fforde (novelist)
Julia Golding (children's)
Emily Gravett (children's picture books)
Steven Hall (novelist)
Jane Harris (novelist)
Peter Hobbs (novelist)
Marina Lewycka (novelist)
Robert Macfarlane (travel writer)
Gautam Malkani (novelist)
Jon McGregor (novelist)
Charlotte Mendelson (novelist)
Richard Morgan (sci-fi author)
Maggie O'Farrell (novelist)
Helen Oyeyemi (novelist)
Jo Pratt (food writer)
Dominic Sandbrook (historian)
C.J. Sansom (historical crime)
Chris Simms (crime)
Nick Stone (crime)
Louise Welsh (novelist)
Ben Wilson (historian)
Robyn Young (historical fiction author)
Top 25 Books of the Past 25 years, as voted for by Waterstone's customers:
1. Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone
2. Time Traveler's Wife
3. Northern Lights
4. Birdsong
5. The Da Vinci Code
6. The Shadow of the Wind
7. Memoirs of a Geisha
8. The Secret History
9. Captain Corelli's Mandolin
10. The Curious Incident of the Dog
11. Handmaid's Tale
12. The Kite Runner
13. The Lovely Bones
14. A Prayer for Owen Meany
15. Colour of Magic
16. The Five People You Meet in Heaven
17. Magician
18. Life of Pi
19. Wild Swans
20. The Secret Dreamworld of a Shopaholic
21. The Name of the Rose
22. Angela's Ashes
23. A Suitable Boy
24. Notes from a SmallIsland
25. Labyrinth
5 comments - Add yours
#1
I am incredibly grateful that our beloved first installment in His Dark Materials achieved as high a position on this list as it did, just beneath Harry Potter, taking over The Da Vinci Code and Memoirs of a Geisha, works that popular culture presently is much more familiar with. Hopefully this list convinces a few to open up the book...and the entire trilogy.
# May 17, 2007 21:13 by yokata
#2 odd bunch
I take it that the ranking is meant to reflect the books that have had the most media exposure and/or popular impact without necessarily a correlation with their literally merit. The Philosopher's Stone was enjoyable enough but not in the same league as The Northern Lights. The presence of the horribly written Da Vinci Code lends weight to that appraisal.
# May 17, 2007 23:26 by virgile
#3
Wonderful just to see that list from the last 25 years, I'd credit all books there with being deserving - even if I don't agree that all of them could maintain any rank were it not limited to the last 25 years.
# May 18, 2007 01:35 by Phit
#4
I agree that The Da Vinci Code is horribly written, but I think it deserves to be on the list because of the plot. It's something you don't easily forget after having read the book.
# May 19, 2007 13:05 by AnneMaria
#5
'Mon the HDM! I'm not surprised it came below Harry Potter… but we know the REAL truth :)
# May 19, 2007 13:08 by æno