5 Authors I Fell in Love With in 2012

It is no secret that I love to read. I love discovering an author for the first time, even if that author has been writing for years. Here are 5 authors I fell in love with in 2012.

I am late to the David McCullough party. I have had my eye on his book about President Harry S. Truman for a long time now. In 2012, I finally took the time and read the book. It was so detailed that it answered every question I could have ever had about our 33^rd President.

Which book should I start with?

Truman is a good one to start with, but really, with David McCullough you cannot go wrong. The thing is, you really need to decide what you are interested in reading about because most of McCullough’s books are very long, so they take a little dedication to finish. Popular McCullough books are also 1776, John Adams and Mornings on Horseback.

Who will like David McCullough?

People who love history and who want to know what happened in the past in detail.

I have been writing so much about Gillian Flynn here on Hubpages that I am probably going to be served with a restraining order any minute now, but if it causes more people to read Flynn’s work, it is worth it to me.

Which book should I start with?

I would recommend starting with Gone Girl because it is the hot book of the moment and has an ending that you do not to be spoiled. Basically though, you cannot go wrong with Gillian Flynn.

Who Will like Gillian Flynn?

Gone Girl was written for a broad audience, so anyone who likes mystery and suspense. Dark Places and Sharp Objects are both darker. I would recommend these novels for fans of Showtime’s Dexter. If you scare easily maybe you should give Flynn’s earlier work a pass.

I first took notice of Chris Cleave because of the beautiful artwork on his book covers. I really wasn't sure what I was going to get with the first book I picked up Little Bee, but it was an excellent book and worth reading. Chris Cleave's books are all about character development and he does not shy away from tough subjects. Only read his books if you are strong enough for an emotional roller coaster.

Which book should I start with?

Little Bee is his latest novel and I think an excellent introduction to Chris Cleave’s work. It should be noted that Little Bee is the U.S. title, the original British title is The Other Hand.

Who will like Chris Cleave?

Anyone who likes Nick Hornby or detailed character studies.

I first took notice of George R.R. Martin when HBO developed his A Song of Ice and Fire series into the show Game of Thrones. Since I don’t have HBO, I decided to read the first book before the show was released on DVD. It was a little hard at first to keep some of the characters straight but once I did I was completely hooked. George R.R. Martin knows how to craft a sentence and create believable worlds. The A Song of Ice and Fire series is brutal and is not for people who have to have a story book ending. A little warning, do not look up anything about the books as you are reading them. Be very careful of spoilers on the internet. George R.R. Martin includes an updated list of characters in the back of every book. Stick to that unless you want to find out what happens to your favorite character.

Which book should I start with?

A Game of Thrones is the first book in A Song of Ice and Fire so that is the best George R.R. Martin book to start with. The rest of the series in order:

A Clash of Kings

A Storm of Swords

A Feast of Crows

A Dance with Dragons

A Storm of Swords is the best book in the series in my opinion! It is worth reading the first two books just to get to this one.

Who will like George R.R. Martin?

People who like fantasy will like these books for sure. I also think that people who like royal and military history will also get a kick out of these books.

I first heard of Chad Harbach when author John Green recommended his book The Art of Fielding on Twitter. The Art of Fielding is somewhat about baseball, and baseball generally bores me, but I loved the book. The book is about several people who live and work on a college campus in Wisconsin. The story starts out with an accident during a baseball game and the book follows the effects of that one error. The Art of Fielding is surprising and heartfelt; it is one of those books that allow the reader to get to know the characters slowly and deeply. If you are like me, this book will stick with you for a while.

Who will like Chad Harbach?

If you like well thought out literature, you will probably like Chad Harbach. Academics and fans of Herman Melville should check this book out.

Which book should I start with?

Chad Harbach has only published The Art of Fielding so far, but I look forward to reading whatever he publishes in the future.

*Note* Currently HBO is developing The Art of Fielding into a series.