There are so many options of wonderful fiction books out there to open up and get lost in. To sit down and delve into a controversial social topic, to explore a faraway tumultuous land, to meet a wacky neighbor, or even to be on a simple road trip that evolves into much more. I believe these are three of the most underrated contemporary literary fiction writers today!
1.Khaled Hosseini – While growing up in Iran, Hosseini’s family had hired a man by the name of Hossein Khan. When Hosseini was only in third grade, he taught Khan how to read and write. This brief relationship was the inspiration behind Hosseini’s debut novel, The Kite Runner. This novel is a stirring account of Afghanistan’s lost years and a beautiful detailing of the relationship between the characters Amir and Hassan. Hosseini’s characters are incredible!
This is also true in his second novel, A Thousand Splendid Suns. This book centers on the intertwined lives of two Afghan women whose relationship spans through five tumultuous decades. Hosseini only has published two novels, but both have been received incredibly – with a combined 38 million copies sold internationally and more than 150 weeks spent on the New York Times Best Seller List. I feel that these two facts alone make Hosseini one of the best writers of our time!
2. Sharon Creech – Young Adult author Creech, initially began writing adult novels, but now focuses her work on her noisy and unruly life growing up in a suburb of Cleveland, Ohio. So much similar, that she even kept her brothers’ names in her book Absolutely Normal Chaos. In this book she delves into the summer journal writing assignment given to Mary Lou Finney. A summer that includes: kissing boys, a weary cousin looking for his father, three crazy brothers, and finally, in the end, a bit of self-discovery!
You also cannot mention Creech without mentioning the Newbery Medal Award she won with Walk Two Moons in 1995. In most of Creech’s works she includes themes of death, grief, loss of loved ones, love, and relationships between characters. Along with the two previously mentioned books, Creech also has written The Wanderer, Ruby Holler, Bloomability, and her 2009 book The Unfinished Angel.
Even though it has been a few years, Creech has always shown her versatility through all of her novels, which makes me feel – she is still on her game!
3. Jodi Picoult – How can this list be complete without including my all-time favorite fiction writer. At the age of 45, Picoult has already knocked out 18 books in the last 20 years. And 2012 will be the year that she has Between the Lines and Lone Wolf, both coming out. Between the Lines, a Young Adult book (written with her daughter Samantha Van Leer), is about when happily-ever-after… doesn’t happen. Adult novel, Lone Wolf, looks at the fine-line between moral choices and medical science (especially organ donation).
Picoult takes it upon herself to tackle pertinent societal issues in every book, and she often has recurring characters in her books. In May 2010, Picoult stated in an interview about her book Nineteen Minutes, “It’s always great fun to bring a character back, because you get to catch up on his/her life; and you don’t have to reinvent the wheel-you already know how he speaks, acts, thinks.”
It is questionable which book is the best, but with so many to choose from and her mere speed of writing, it is obvious why I feel that she is extremely underrated. Currently I would have to say my favorites are House Rules, Sing you Home, and Salem Falls!
Any book is better than no book, but with these recommended works from Khaled Hosseini, Sharon Creech, and Jodi Picoult you should have a wonderful list for everyone in your household!
HAPPY Reading!!
