Was having this discussion with friends and we came up with interesting choices.
Mine was D. H. Lawrence as he grew up in the same area as me and my great uncle worked down the mines and have always found it interesting. He also wrote about a time where upward mobility for the working classes was possible and he certainly broke away from his dreary existence from his mining community.
He was also fearless in writing about sex and challenging society and led an unconventional life style for those times. Finally, I love his books Sons and Lovers was a favourite since A Levels and I still love him over 30 years later.
Who would you choose?