I have come to the conclusion that I don't like quite a lot of female writers

I still love Dorothy Parker. She just came right out and said what everyone else was thinking...

I idolised Dorothy Parker when I was a teen. When asked to used the word "horticulture" in a sentence she said:

"You can lead a whore to culture, but you can't make her think."

Brilliant.

what about

Harper Lee (writer of possibly the best book ever written!)
Dorothy Parker
Edith Wharton
Donna Tartt
Muriel Spark
Maya Angelou
Jane Gardam

and my most favourite writer ever (and after whom my daughter takes her middle name)

Carson McCullers

recently tried with Iris Murdoch but I have to say I find her a bit 'wordy'. Im much more a fan of sparse American writing (as may be obvious) but there are certain lots of good female writers.

Kate Atkinson and Jane Yardley (not a hint of chick-lit in either) and good old Iris Murdoch.
I went through an Anita Brookner phase but ended up wanting to slash my wrists so had to stop.
Really wanted to like Brick Lane but just couldn't get through it - don't really know why.

Have to admit, there's a long list of books I'd rather read first. I seem to remember writing utter bullshit in the exam, just frantic and random jottings I'd remembered from the margin, that I'd written when I wasn't actually asleep in the class. Set the tone for my whole career ever since!

Well, if you revisit her, perhaps you can persuade me, too? I tried The Waves for A level and ended up just blagging an essay without having finished the book.

I love you, Janeite and ggirl. (Mind you, I need persuading on Virginia Woolf. Was forced to do The Waves for A level and have never quite got over it. Maybe time to revisit?)

Jane Austen (for me) is and always will be the standard by which all writers shall be judged ...

How about The Voyage of the Narwhal by Andrea Barrett or The Siege by Helen Dunmore? I agree, Rose Tremain is fantastic, also love Anne Tyler.

I love Virginia Wolf's books

I liked "The Time Traveller's Wife"!

Then again there are plenty on here that I've hated -

Margaret Atwood - except "The Handmaid's Tale" which is fab.

Sarah Waters - yawn

Kate Mosse - over-written, boring drivel

Claire Morral - yawn

The Icarus Girl - Helen Oyeyemi

However, Jane Austen is female - so if no female (or male) ever wrote another book again, ever, I could live happily just on re-reads!

Sarah Waters is dreadful. That Fingersmith was just laughable. I don't understand why she's so popular. Her writing is crud.

But so many great women writers out there.

I love Antonia Fraser and Kate Atkinson (bit mad at times) too. Marjane Satrapi who wrote Persepolis and Embroderies is fascinating too.

You must read the Regeneration trilogy by Pat Barker. Fabulous stuff.

Also Andrea Levy - Small Island

Oh, you're badmouthing so many books I love.

The Time Traveller's Wife (Audrey Nifenegger) just mesmerising. We Need to Talk About Kevin (Lionel Shriver) I enjoyed (if enjoyed is the right word)

Siri Hustvedt - What I Loved was a bit contrived for me (sounds strange to say that when compared especially to Time Traveller's Wife - I found it hard to warm to the story whilst still appreciating its literary qualities.
Enjoyed Fingersmith too.

Also like Margaret Attwood (but not the sci-fi ones), Anne Tyler,

HAve you tried Carol Shields, Donna Tartt, Michele Roberts, Helen Dunmore (bit of a long shot the last one but trying to get what you like and dislike)?

I tried Ann Marie Macdonald after raves on this site and was bitterly disappointed, found Fall on Your Knees contrived and melodramatic

Others obv feel differently

I loved Time Traveller's Wife

And Anne Tyler is a great writer. But I think most contemporary writers of modern fiction write what my husband and I call faux lit - bog standard stuff dressed up to seem important and intellectual.

I am really looking forward to having a good laugh at reading the new Rachel Cusk. She is so mindbogglingly pretentious, I find her unintentionally hilarious. Theearly reviews I've read hint her latest book will be a classic.

cjcregg- i love Anne-Marie Macdonald.The way the crow flies was brilliant.

i love zadie smith, though not white teeth-the Autograph man is my fave
Pat Barker's Regeneration Trilogy is fantastic

Hilary Mantel, RoseTremain, Penelope Lively, Kate Atkinson, Helen Dunmore all v. good
agree with whoever mention Scarlett thomas (though i reckon her endings are not always the best...can leave me a bit bemused)

um, Kate Grenville-Blood River was excellent too

Anne Tyler is a lovely writer.

Hi all, also haven't read all the thread but wanted to stick up for Time Traveller's Wife.

Love the Literature Map - though it is a bit bonkers.

Anyone read Ann-Marie Macdonald? I think she is mind-blowingly good. Quite hard work to get into but once you're in, you can't let go and it's an incredibly rewarding, moving read. Fall On Your Knees and The Way The Crow Flies.

I LOVED Time Travellers Wife

BTW, I want to like Margaret Atwood, and a few I actually do, but I find them very forgettable, and most just too hard to get into, and not worth the effort.

(Curtis is a girl, honestly)

I worry that I don't like enough stuff written by men!

I'm stuck in a bit of a young adult rut at the moment, so I'm going to suggest Eva Ibbotson, Curtis Sittenfeld and Meg Rosoff.

Pat Barker and Anne Tyler are both great writers.