Which living authors do you think will still be remembered/read 100 years from now?

[FajitaQueen]

Hi all.
Inspired by the recent discussion of Top Ten favourite books, I wondered which modern living authors do you think would still be widely read 100 years from now.
I’m not necessarily thinking about “classics” (although that might be part of the reason for long-term popularity.)
My initial contenders are Kazuo Ishiguro, Sarah Walters, Margaret Atwood, Alice Walker and Alan Garner (I looked him up and he is still with us at 91 years old!) They’ve all written books that have original voices and could, in my opinion, stand the test of time.
I’m conscious that authors fall in and out of fashion so making such a prediction is tricky. But that’s part of the fun!

Jo Rowling.

I’ve never heard of Alan Garner, and even looking him up don’t recognise any of his books. So wouldn’t agree with him.

I think some of Margaret Atwood’s books will still be read but probably not all.

I can’t think of many authors I think will still be read 100 years from now tbh. We don’t seem to have anyone writing engaging stories well - it’s either boring literary fiction or enjoyable reading but badly written.

I agree with yours @FajitaQueen - also Julian Barnes, Ian McEwan and Sebastian Faulks.

Agreed. And maybe George R R Martin

I've always rated Kate Atkinson very highly, and to me she hits the sweet spot between literary fiction and good stories

John Boyne
Colm Toibin
Sebastian Barry

I think there are absolutely loads of great authors currently writing, and it might be the last generation to do so before AI takes over all entertainment.

I understand where you’re coming from @AlcoholicAntibiotic . I’m so often disappointed by modern fiction. It’s one reason why I specified living authors.
I love reading authors from the past just because they’re well-written as a matter of course. But writing today can be a bit “meh”.
I haven’t read Sebastian Faulks for a long time @Arlanymor but I did enjoy his writing.

I hadn’t even thought about AI @SomersetBrie. It’s quite mind blowing that AI might take and mimic the best/most popular writers’ styles and ideas.

I think the works of the living Poet Laureates will be read still.

I think it will be authors that write timeless stories like Pullman,Rowling, pratchey. Any cutting edge/addressing the issues of our time prob not.

I think a lot of graphic novels will continue to be popular, maybe even more so

It’s already infesting a lot of the books available on Kindle Unlimited. Some of the self-published stuff was bad enough before AI got involved!

I’m not sure how widely read they are at the moment! Poetry isn’t particularly popular with most people

Stephen King…although I may be biased as he is my favourite author!
Also Khaled Hosseini, I hope so anyway as his writing is so beautiful.

Stephen king, Sebastian faulks, jo jo Moyes and bill Bryson

Maggie o Farrell, Sarah Maas

Salman Rushdie? I love that Alan Garner is still going. Elidor and The Owl Service are brilliant.

David Mitchell

Terry Pratchett - modern, rather than living

Sadly @Ohfuckrucksack Terry Pratchett is no longer with us. (I’ve just seen you’ve edited!)
I’m glad you appreciate Alan Garner too @Thewalrusandthecarpenter

Michael Morpurgo, perhaps

Julia Donaldson

Possibly Malorie Blackman, or at least Noughts and Crosses if not the rest.

Agree with your choices OP. I wouldn't say Faulks or Barnes - very much of their time. McEwan same - except for perhaps Atonement. Will there be many people in 100 years' time who want to read about his interchangeable heroes with identical writing desks living in leafy north London streets?

Ali Smith combines zeitgeist with genuinely creative thinking, I think would be interesting to people in the future.

I'd like to sneak in a couple of "only just dead" - le Carre (who is having a moment again now and I think has a good chance of doing so every time we get paranoid) and Mantell, just because of the ferocious power of her writing.

Same. And surely people will always want to read Life After Life?

Stephen King is my immediate thought, along with JK Rowling.
Love Bill Bryson, as previously mentioned, the humor and warmth in his books may stand the test of time.