My Top Seven Auto-Buy Authors (And Three to Watch) & Tuesday Intro (Dryland by Sara Jaffe)

Top Ten Tuesday


This week’s Top Ten Tuesday (hosted by The Broke and the Bookish) topic is Top Ten “Auto-Buy” Authors. Honestly, I didn’t have ten authors I felt comfortable putting on this list. But, I do have a couple of authors whose debuts were so fantastic that I’m definitely buying their second books. While I’m not adding an author to this list based on only one book, these authors do have a shot at becoming “auto-buy” for me once I see more of their work!

My Top Seven Auto-Buy Authors

Top 10 Auto-Buy Authors


Nickolas Butler
The newest addition to this list! Shotgun Lovesongs put Mr. Butler firmly on my radar and his recent short story collection, Beneath the Bonfire, vaulted him onto my auto-buy list.

Pat Conroy
One of my all-time favorite authors and probably the longest running author on this list, as I first read many of his books (The Great SantiniThe Lords of DisciplineThe Prince of Tides) in high school.

John Irving
There are some of his books that I loved more than others (A Prayer for Owen Meany, The World According to Garp), but I’m definitely planning to buy his upcoming release, Avenue of Mysteries.

Michael Lewis
He manages to make even incredibly boring topics (i.e. baseball, finance and trading) fascinating.

Donna Tartt
I might be waiting ten more years to “auto-buy” her, but she’s proven worth the wait.

Tom Wolfe
Bonfire of the Vanities is one of my all-time favorites…and, I’m just crossing my fingers I’ll get another opportunity to “auto-buy” him.

Meg Wolitzer
I loved The Interestings and The Wife. Next up for me is Belzhar unless she publishes something new before I get to it!

And…three debut authors who could eventually end up on this list

Auto-Buy Debuts

Brian Panowich
His July debut, Bull Mountain, is one of my favorite books of this summer and is a contender for my Best of 2015.

Sara Taylor
I’m still thinking about her May debut, The Shore.

M.O. Walsh
His debut novel, My Sunshine Away, is one of my favorite books so far this year.

Tuesday Intro

First Chapter First Paragraph


Every Tuesday, fellow blogger Bibliophile By the Sea hosts First Chapter First Paragraph Tuesday Intros, where bloggers share the first paragraph of the book they are currently reading or thinking about reading soon.

Dryland, Sara Jaffe

Plot Summary from Amazon (adapted for length)

Sara Jaffe’s engrossing debut novel, Dryland, is a smart coming-of-age novel that charts the murky waters of adolescence.

It’s 1992, and the world is caught up in the HIV/AIDS epidemic and the Balkan Wars, but for Julie Winter, 15, the news is noise. Her family life is routine and restrained, and no one talks about Julie’s older brother, a one-time Olympic hopeful swimmer who now lives in self-imposed exile in Berlin. Julie has never considered swimming herself, until Alexis, the swim team captain, tries to recruit her. It’s a dare, and a flirtation—and a chance for Julie to find her brother, or to finally let him go.

Here’s the first paragraph (from an uncorrected proof):

On the cover of Swimmers’ World was a swimming guy’s face obscured by splashes. On Swimming Monthly a coach in a rose garden. The smell of cigars stuffed the air at Rich’s News, and beneath it, a note of stale trading-card gum. On the wall, a sign said No Reading. Rich, if it was Rich, unpack cigars behind the counter, ignoring me. My monthly or so spot-check of swimming magazines consisted of a practiced skimming: contents, capsules, photos. Poolside had a Portuguese diver toweling off. If Rich took my skimming as reading and called me out, it would be easy to say I’d been looking for something, and if Rich said, For what? Rich wouldn’t.

Would you keep reading?

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30 Comments

  1. Greg wrote:

    I’ve seen some reviews of The Shore and while it sound a bit heavy, I’ve heard it was good and thought provoking as well.

    Posted 8.18.15 Reply
    • admin wrote:

      It was definitely heavy, but extremely thought provoking. My initial feelings weren’t all positive (still aren’t), but I’m for sure still thinking about it!

      Posted 8.18.15 Reply
  2. Kay wrote:

    Yes, I’d keep reading. I like books about swimmers for some reason. Kind of like enjoying books set on college campuses. No rhyme or reason. Just do.

    And I’m not surprised to see Pat Conroy on your author list. Some of those people are familiar and some I’ve read, some not. Meg Wolitzer is an author that I want to try. Well, and I love Conroy too.

    Posted 8.18.15 Reply
    • admin wrote:

      Haha! Everyone has their book kryptonite!

      And – yeah, I’m pretty sure Conroy’s appearance on my list surprised exactly nobody! Wolitzer is fantastic…The Wife is a nice short one to start with…The Interestings is a bit more of an undertaking.

      Posted 8.18.15 Reply
  3. I’m not sure about reading Dryland…I’ll wait to see you what you think.

    Posted 8.18.15 Reply
    • admin wrote:

      It was decent, but didn’t knock it out of the park.

      Posted 8.18.15 Reply
  4. This one doesn’t sound like my kind of read….hope you enjoy it, though.

    I enjoy the work of Pat Conroy and Meg Wolitzer…I had hoped to like Sara Taylors “The Shore,” but didn’t like the book at all.

    That’s how it goes sometimes. Thanks for sharing, and here’s mine: “THE SUMMER GIRLS”

    Posted 8.18.15 Reply
    • admin wrote:

      Hurray for Conroy and Wolitzer! And, there were definitely parts of The Shore that I didn’t like (the last chapter), but overall I thought it was pretty amazing!

      Posted 8.18.15 Reply
  5. I haven’t read any of the authors on your Top Ten list for this week, although I have heard of a few. Pat Conroy is one I have heard nothing but good things about. Donna Tart is one I would really like to read at some point. And Meg Wolitzer. I may try John Irving again at some point, but I’m not in a hurry to do so. I didn’t like A Prayer for Owen Meany.

    Dryland sounds interesting. I curious about her brother more than anything else.

    Posted 8.18.15 Reply
    • admin wrote:

      Irving is definitely not for everyone…he tackles some topics repeatedly that I imagine don’t sit well with some people. But, I’d definitely give the others you mentioned a try at some point!

      Posted 8.18.15 Reply
  6. Definitely M.O. Walsh, Sarah; I hope his kids grow up soon so that he has more time to write – ha! I’m with you on John Irving; I haven’t fallen in love with all of his novels, but I’m always going to try them out. Tom Wolfe, too…wow. These people need to get going!! I think Dryland sounds great; hope you are enjoying it, so far!

    Posted 8.18.15 Reply
    • admin wrote:

      Oh no! Did Walsh say another book would take awhile b/c of his kids when you saw him speak?! I’m hoping that wasn’t the case 🙂

      Posted 8.18.15 Reply
      • Well, he said that now that he and his wife have two kids (rather than one, when he wrote My Sunshine Away), it’s really tough for him to write during the school year (since he works at the university) and that he’ll likely have to limit his dedicated writing time to the summer months; I hope he stays busy this summer, Sarah – ha! 😉

        Posted 8.18.15 Reply
  7. Vicki wrote:

    I don’t think I’d keep reading. The opening just didn’t grab me. I may be cheating myself out of a really good book though!

    Posted 8.18.15 Reply
    • admin wrote:

      It was decent/so-so, definitely didn’t blow me away or anything.

      Posted 8.18.15 Reply
  8. I’m not that crazy about the writing style, but I’d keep reading a little more because I am wondering what’s going on.

    Posted 8.18.15 Reply
  9. Carmen wrote:

    Some authors you have in this list pop up frequently each time you do lists, so I had been very surprised if they hadn’t been there, like Pat Conroy. I bought The Great Santini (on sale) because of you.
    I tend to own/read/enjoy books by the same authors, but I think I only have three or four auto-pilot authors.
    I’d keep reading. Based on the blurb and the intro it seems like a teen girl spying a teen boy while he works. 🙂

    Posted 8.18.15 Reply
    • admin wrote:

      Ha – yep…anytime any list remotely resembles favorite authors, you’ll probably see the same people from me!

      Posted 8.18.15 Reply
  10. Lindsay wrote:

    Surprisingly, the only author on your list I’ve read is Pat Conroy. I read “South of Broad” a few years ago and meant to read more of his stuff… but it hasn’t happened yet! Two of your debut authors are on my to-read list. Hopefully I enjoy them as much as you did!

    Posted 8.18.15 Reply
    • admin wrote:

      You know, South of Broad wasn’t close to being one of my favorites by Conroy. I thought Lords of Discipline, Great Santini, Prince of Tides, and Beach Music were even better!

      Posted 8.18.15 Reply
  11. Usually I’m a sucker for coming-of-age stories, but this one is calling my name. I’m not sure why as its very smart writing. Love you list of auto-buys. I need to check out Nickolas Butler further.

    Posted 8.18.15 Reply
  12. Diane wrote:

    Not sure about this one for me Sarah, but I do tend to like coming of age stories.

    Posted 8.18.15 Reply
  13. Amanda wrote:

    Oh that is an excellent list. I didn’t even think of Conroy or Irving. I do know I need to get my hands on Bull Mountain soon!

    Posted 8.18.15 Reply
  14. susan wrote:

    I just finished My Sunshine Away and liked it. Still gathering my thoughts on it for a review.

    Posted 8.19.15 Reply
    • admin wrote:

      Glad you enjoyed it!

      Posted 8.19.15 Reply
  15. Your list of authors mirrors mine. Wish Conroy would release a new novel. I’m listening to Bull Mountain and loving it.

    Posted 8.19.15 Reply
    • admin wrote:

      I know, me too! I worry a little we’ve seen the last from him. But, I hope I’m wrong! Glad you’re enjoying Bull Mountain…that one kept me up super late at night!

      Posted 8.19.15 Reply
  16. This all seemed a bit dense for my tastes but I do hope you are enjoying the read.

    Posted 8.20.15 Reply
  17. Shaina wrote:

    The Prince of Tides!!! I first read it in high school too and utterly adored it.

    Posted 8.28.15 Reply

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