On toughness - toughest writers of all time?

[WhisperTree]

With a view to adding to my TBR pile, I've been trying to think of the toughest, least sentimental female authors of all time, with an emphasis on midcentury to the present day.

The names which keep coming to mind are North Americans and Continental Europeans. I must have a blindspot for these fair isles, which must surely have their own tradition of stylistic toughness.

Help me out, please?

Who are some of the toughest, least sentimental British fiction and non-fiction writers - the ones who might be criticised as e.g. "cold", "heartless" etc because their style leaves space for the reader to feel their own feels

I’d like to put in a word for Sybille Bedford (1911–2006). She was born in Germany and spent her formative years there and in France and Italy, but she is considered to be an English writer. Travelogue, fiction, non-fiction, biography (Huxley), and memoir. A very interesting woman and an excellent writer.

A Visit to Don Otavio (on Mexico)
A Legacy
Jigsaw
A Favourite of the Gods
A Compass Error
Quicksands (memoir)

This profile by Selina Hastings, her biographer, gives a good overview.
https://rsliterature.org/fellows/sybille-bedford/

I’m not quite sure that I understand “tough” in this context, but if “unsentimental” is a virtue, then I’ll echo previous mentions of Anita Brookner, who wrote – exquisitely – with a scalpel.

I agree with the slightly left field suggestion of Daphne du Maurier, I think she's definitely unsentimental especially books such as The Scapegoat.

Also maybe Sarah Moss eg Ghost Wall?

And I absolutely adore Elizabeth Taylor.

For a philosophical style how about Ali Smith? However I haven't yet read her so don't know for sure if she is unsentimental.

Ooh and Deborah Levy!!!! Love her!!!!

Another - Scarlett Thomas. I loved her recent book The Sleepwalkers.

I don't quite get your definition @WhisperTree . I've always thought leaving space for the reader to have their own feelings was a sign of subtlety in a writer, not cold heartlessness.

I've always found PD James a bit cold. Val McDermid is not cosy
For literary writers, I agree that Fay Weldon is fairly emotionally cool. She Devil is glorious but not in any way sympathetic. Edna O'Brien is magnificent - I think of her as astute not cold. The Red Chairs is a jaw-droppingly tough read.

I find Kate Atkinson quite chilly. When Will There Be Good News is a powerful novel, but she kills off a baby or a family on almost every page at the beginning.

I love Jane Gardam and think she is massively underrated. A bit old fashioned now and very no-nonsense (sort of - He went to boarding school aged four because his parents were in Malay - so what? Get over it) but her work is incredibly moving because she just lays the characters and their situations out for you and never tries to cajole you into feeling something specific about them.

That's interesting. I find Deborah Levy a very warm writer. Very humane and passionate and emotional (good things imo.) Never sentimental, never over written or forcing the reader into cheer or optimism. Tough as in strong, certainly but not cold or heartless. The opposite.

Sarah Waters? Has anyone mentioned her? The Little Stranger and Fingerposts?

Ali Smith is a good call, up thread. I find her work a bit cold.

Jane Gardam is wonderful.

Yes I agree there and definitely don't want to accuse her of being cold!! but I was thinking of the 'leaving space to work out your feelings aspect' and not being overly sentimental. That's what I meant about all the writers I mentioned.

ETA I saw Deborah Levy talk in Bristol once and she's so wonderful.

Jean Rhys! How could I have forgotten one of my favourites as a teenager.

Which reminds me of another favourite at that time Antonia White's series of autobiographical novels, Frost in May is the first one.

(you are going to be busy OP)

Thanks so much for sharing these insights into Elizabeth Bowen's life @VosgesViper That does not sound like an easy ride at all. I can't wait to get hold of some of her physical books. I'm having a reaction against my Kindle right now.

Although I'm all over Austen, in general, the time window excludes her for my specific purposes.

LOVE CCF @VeryQuaintIrene I mean, LOVE.

As for Warner, she looks absolutely fascinating. Thanks so much for introducing me to her.🤗

I'll have to check out this Chairman Clift as she's quoting T S Eliot...

OMG why hasn't anyone mentioned Brookner yet? What an oversight. Tough as.

As we've been including Anglo-Irish female authors of that time period, why not Anglo-Dominican? She's amazing.

Someone completely new to explore. Thank you @LaDrache Duly noted.
I'd say 'tough' and 'unsentimental' are synonyms, eh?
Re Brookner, I concur.

Oh no I agree with you, @Meadowwild that a tough, unsentimental, 'non-nonsense' style is not the same as an author herself having a cold heart / lack of warm feeling.
You nail it where you say Gardam "just lays the characters and their situations out for you and never tries to cajole you into feeling something specific about them." That.

Antonia White! Forgotten until now - how?? I'm going to have to make a primary and secondary list, or I'll just get overwhelmed with all the toughness 😅

I adore (ADORE) Levy (have read most of her novels), and I'm not sure I'd file her style under tough. More...gooey. Shimmering. Vulnerable. Mutable. Fluid. Skinless.
In a good way. But not what I'm after RN.

I was just reminded of Elizabeth Jane Howard (1923-2014); I think there might be some toughness there OP. Her mother was a dancer with the Ballets Russes, her first husband the son of Captain Scott, whom she left to become a novelist. She had affairs with half of London, sold millions of books and her 3rd husband was Kingsley Amis, for goodness' sake.

I know she's Irish, not even anglo-Irish, and lived in New York (she worked for the New Yorker) but if you want tough and brilliant, you have have have to read Maeve Brennan's short stories. They're like scalpels in literary form.

Margaret Forster. Wrote Georgy Girl. Try "The Travels of Maudie Tipstaff" which is King Lear rewritten with a working class woman in the Lear role visiting her kids in turn. As my own mum used to say about her "she's very good on mothers".

This sounds fascinating @Neednewcarpets Adding to the list!

I had to start somewhere, and it was serendipity that I found a copy of Fay Weldon's Down Among the Women (1971) while having a clear-out. Someone on this thread name checked her.

My copy was an engagement gift from a friend who wrote on the first page "So you don't get any ideas about obedience!"

On the very off-chance that anyone wants to read along, hit me up in the PMs and we can share notes. I'll post a review of sorts once I've read it.

Wishing you all the flow 🌊

I found Barbara Comyns very unsentimental and pulled no punches.

Came on to say Fay Weldon! Also perhaps Ali Smith would fit the bill?

she didn’t write fiction but for “tough” don’t miss A Testament of Youth by Vera Brittain. Wholly unsentimental but devastating.