Favorite Authors Curry-Style

The Author I Love Most Who is in the Canon – Leo Tolstoy

Alas, the author of War and Peace and Anna Karenina often creates more admirers than readers due to the size of these classics. Except they both deserve top rank in the canon, as do at least two of his short stories (Master and Man, The Death of Ivan Ilych). Best of all, most of his later works are shot through with an overt Christianity (Father Sergius), when they’re not outright didactic (The Kreutzer Sonata, Resurrection).

The tortured author was masterful at distilling experiences into an amazing clarity, whether it be male lust (The Devil), the acceptance of sacrifice (Master and Man), or society’s hypocritical double standards (the two clasics). Plus, he never skimped on plot, so even the long monsters twist and turn in surprising manners

John Updike once wrote in a New Yorker review that Tolstoy still was the only author who could make happiness interesting. (Read the chapters of Natasha singing or the children playing in War and Peace and you’ll understand what he means.)

While his best known works are legendarily long (though worth their reputation), start with the short stories or novellas (The Cossacks was recently translated) if you don’t believe me. It’s likely you’ll read nothing better

Author I Love Who Will Never Be in the Canon—Grant Morrison

We didn’t have a TV when I was growing up (a decision I regret less and less), so my four color entertainment came from comic books. (Of course, now that every year churns forth another blockbuster superhero movie, that makes me a savant to the kid, since I know the back story to every character used, but that’s another story.) Among the most fascinating comic book authors today is Grant Morrison, a Scottish author and playwright who grew up loving the comic books I did.

Morrison’s trademark is to embed powerful metaphors and scientific craziness into straight-forward action-adventure stories (as they used to be called). He’s also got an uncanny grip on “the moment,” so you often get those “Of course!” moments while you’re wondering what will happen next. Then again, he feels like comics are for creating the future, so he does that in unusual-but accessible way.

Since graphic novels are cool now, reserve the following titles from your library and thank me later:

• All Star Superman—Especially Volume 1 (of 2). It’s funny, romantic (you'll say, "Ahhh" when you see where he takes Lois Lane for a kiss), challenging, and I cried at the end of the last chapter reading it to my 10 year-old.

• We3—What if the U.S. Military used animals with cybernetics embedded in them for war. An inspired mixture of Incredible Journey and the near-future. (Warning: Violence with related gore.)

• Marvel Boy—Science, adventure, and evil corporations mix in this thriller that simultaneously captures the now while hinting at a possible future.

• Seven Soldiers of Victory—A convoluted, but densely plotted Lord of the Rings saga for the second-class super hero set. What if there was a world crisis a team was fighting against it all over the world, but didn’t realize they were working together?

• Vimanarama—A romantic crisis develops when the Muslim version of the end of the world takes place in modern day Britain because Ali isn’t sure he’s ready for an arranged marriage. The first 2 chapters are quite funny.