Cult Writers: 50 Nonconformist Novelists You Need to Know

by Ian Haydn Smith, Kristelle Rodeia (Illustrator)

Overview

WHAT MAKES A CULT WRITER? 

Whether pioneering in their craft, fiercely and undeniably unique or critically divisive, cult writers come in all shapes and guises. Some gain instant fame, others instant notoriety, and more still remain anonymous until a chance change in fashion sees their work propelled into the limelight.

Cult Writers introduces 50 novelists deserving of a cult status. The literary genres and subjects explored within these writers’ pages are rich and diverse – acting as mirrors of their genius minds. FromIrvine Welsh’s gritty Edinburgh streets, to Ken Kesey’s drug-fuelled madness; from feminist trailblazer Sylvia Plath to the magical realism of Angela Carter – discover little knowns with small, devout followings and superstars gracing the covers of magazines. Each writer is special in their individuality and their ability to inspire, antagonise and delight. 

Cult Writers is an essential addition to any book lover's library, as well as an entertaining introduction to our weird and wonderful world of literature.
 
Also in the series: Cult Artists, Cult Filmmakers + Cult Musicians

The writers: 
Kathy Acker, James Baldwin, J.G. Ballard, Mikhail Bulgakov, Charles Bukowski, William S. Burroughs, Octavia E. Butler, Italo Calvino, Albert Camus, Angela Carter, Colette, Maryse Conde, Julio Cortazar, Philip K. Dick, Douglas Coupland, Marguerite Duras, Ralph Ellison, Elena Ferrante, Janet Frame, Jean Genet, Joseph Heller, Michel Houellebecq, James Joyce, Franz Kafka, Ken Kesey, Chris Kraus, Milan Kundera, Ursula K. Le Guin, Doris Lessing, Cormac McCarthy, Carson McCullers, Yukio Mishima, Haruki Murakami, Anais Nin, Sylvia Plath, Thomas Pynchon, Raymond Queneau, Ayn Rand, Pauline Reage, Jean Rhys, Juan Rulfo, Francoise Sagan, J.D. Salinger, Arkady and Boris Strugatsky, Donna Tartt, Jim Thompson, J.R.R. Tolkien, Kurt Vonnegut, Virginia Woolf, Irvine Welsh. 

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780711250642
Publisher:	Frances Lincoln Adult
Publication date:	06/09/2020
Series:	Cult Figures Series
Pages:	144
Product dimensions:	6.20(w) x 7.70(h) x 0.85(d)

About the Author

Ian Haydn Smith is a London-based writer. He is the update editor on 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die and is the editor of BFI Filmmakers Magazine and Curzon Magazine. Ian is also the author of Selling the Movie: The Art of the Film Poster, The Short Story of Photography and Cult Filmmakers. 

Table of Contents

INTRODUCTION
KATHY ACKER (1947–1997)
EVE BABITZ (1943)
J.G. BALLARD (1930–2009)
DJUNA BARNES (1892–1982)
CHARLES BUKOWSKI (1920–1994)
MIKHAIL BULGAKOV (1891–1940)
WILLIAM BURROUGHS (1914–1997)
OCTAVIA E. BUTLER (1947–2006)
ITALO CALVINO (1923–1985)
ALBERT CAMUS (1913–1960)
ANGELA CARTER (1940–1992)
COLETTE (1873–1954)
MARYSE CONDÉ (1937)
JULIO CORTÁZAR (1914–1984)
DOUGLAS COUPLAND (1961)
PHILIP K. DICK (1928–1982)
JOAN DIDION (1934)
MARGUERITE DURAS (1914–1996)
RALPH ELLISON (1914–1994)
ELENA FERRANTE (1943)
JANET FRAME (1924–2004)
JEAN GENET (1910–1986)
MICHEL HOUELLEBECQ (1956)
ZORA NEALE HURSTON (1891–1960)
DENIS JOHNSON (1949–2017)
FRANZ KAFKA (1883–1924)
KEN KESEY (1935–2001)
CHRIS KRAUS (1955)
MILAN KUNDERA (1929)
URSULA K. LE GUIN (1929–2018)
DORIS LESSING (1919–2013)
CORMAC MCCARTHY (1933)
CARSON MCCULLERS (1917–1967)
YUKIO MISHIMA (1925–1970)
HARUKI MURAKAMI (1949)
ANAÏS NIN (1903–1977)
SYLVIA PLATH (1932–1963)
THOMAS PYNCHON (1937)
AYN RAND (1905–1982)
PAULINE RÉAGE (1907–1998)
JEAN RHYS (1890–1979)
JUAN RULFO (1917–1986)
FRANÇOISE SAGAN (1935–2004)
J.D. SALINGER (1919–2010)
BORIS & ARKADY STRUGATSKY (1933–2012; 1925–1991)
JIM THOMPSON (1906–1977)
J.R.R. TOLKIEN (1892–1973)
KURT VONNEGUT (1922–2007)
IRVINE WELSH (1958)
VIRGINIA WOOLF (1882–1941)
KEY WORKS

Editorial Reviews

For the reader who wants to dig deeper into quality writing, or the bibliophile looking to branch out into new genres, Cult Writers is an inviting source to decide what to read next.—PopMatters

A survey of idolized literati from an array of styles, backgrounds, and philosophies, Smith’s compendium includes the usual suspects one expects from a work on cult writers—Kurt Vonnegut, J. R. R. Tolkien, Françoise Sagan, Cormac McCarthy, Djuna Barnes, Ken Kesey, Ayn Rand—plus a few quirks, accompanied by illustrations by Kristelle Rodeia.—Booklist

Cult Writers is an entertaining introduction to the weird and wonderful world of literature.

—BookTrib

Regardless of one’s knowledge of any of the 50 writers discussed, Cult Writers is intriguing and informative.—New York Journal of Books

A bibliophiles delight, "Cult Writers: 50 Nonconformist Novelists You Need to Know" is an inherently fascinating and informative book to browse through.—Midwest Book Review

From the Publisher

10/01/2020

Achieving cult status doesn't mean outright popularity, according to Smith (update editor, 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die), but rather evoking a visceral response in readers and crossing or blurring traditional boundaries of theme, style, and genre. To hone his list of writers to 50 (e.g., Milan Kundera, Octavia E. Butler, Joan Didion, and Haruki Murakami), Smith chose primarily novelists from 1900 to the present and sometimes included one writer as representative of a group (Beat writers, Harlem Renaissance). A one- to three-page biography covers important works and how the writer affected and was affected by their times. Subjects are primarily but not exclusively American or European; about half those profiled are women. With crisp lines and fluid swaths of color, Rodeia's drawings are a delightful addition. VERDICT Brief, bright, enlightening, and sure to introduce new names to most readers.

Library Journal