Who writes contemporary/literary well?

Off the top of my head, Anna Karenina.

My favorite book: Revolutionary Road by Richard Yates.

One of my favorite writers: Jhumpa Lahiri.

I think George Saunders is incredibly under-appreciated.

Whooo boy, that's a big question. There's tons.

My current favorite is David Foster Wallace, but he killed himself a couple years ago Been re-reading Infinite Jest for a while now.

If Jonathan Safran Foer ever comes out with more fiction, him too...... His wife, Nicole Krauss's History of Love is really good, too. Can't forget writers like Salman Rushdie, Haruki Murakami and the like.... And Thomas Pynchon, of course, he's still writing as well.

They're were more contemporary a couple of decades ago, but I love Brett Easton Ellis and James McInerney, too.

I'll second BEE; Less Than Zero is awesome, as is American Psycho.

If Orwell counts as contemporary, well then...

Plus RAWO, of course.

Maybe I'm just not reading the right books, but I haven't found too many great books about current times. People like Alan Hollinghurst and David Peace have brought the eighties back in their unlovely glory, I can't think of a book that people will pick up in fifty years time to bring the nineties flooding back. Maybe there's a gap in the market.

Priene said:

Maybe I'm just not reading the right books, but I haven't found too many great books about current times. People like Alan Hollinghurst and David Peace have brought the eighties back in their unlovely glory, I can't think of a book that people will pick up in fifty years time to bring the nineties flooding back. Maybe there's a gap in the market.

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David Foster Wallace. He was the voice of the 90s, IMO.

kuwisdelu said:

David Foster Wallace. He was the voice of the 90s, IMO.

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A good writer, and sorely missed. Not sure nineties Britain was much like his world, though.

I quite like Ian McEwan and Zadie Smith.

Second David Foster Wallace. Infinite Jest is still unfinished by me (I'm sure my time will come), but I really love his short fiction.

Bubastes said:

My favorite book: Revolutionary Road by Richard Yates.

One of my favorite writers: Jhumpa Lahiri.

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I love this lady's prose: clean, smooth, seemingly effortless. Yet complex. When you think she writes in present tense! I flirted with this style after I finished The Name's Sake, but gave up. Not ready yet.

I didn't read Revolutionary Road, but I will. Soon.

Shirley Hazzard: The Transit of Venus. That book made me bend, close my eyes and ... weep.

David Foster Wallace, too.

Coetzee: Disgrace. Pitch perfect prose.

I also appreciate a less known writer, Monica Wood. She has also published a splendid book on writing -- Description -- which I warmly recommend to those interested on how to handle description. She's good. And also a very nice person, she actually answers questions if you write to her (she has a web page).

hmmmm, i'm jealous of toni morrison's writing. languidly precise stuff.

lahiri's short stories are gorgeously crafted.

others i like: margaret atwood, thrity umrigar, vikram chandra.

Bubastes said:

My favorite book: Revolutionary Road by Richard Yates.

One of my favorite writers: Jhumpa Lahiri.

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Definitely "Revolutionary Road" by Yates...an amazing novel

Anything by David Peace or Carlos Ruiz Zafron.

gothicangel said:

Anything by David Peace.

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Read GB84. Good book. Great tension. Couldn't help. But feel. The sentences. Might be a bit. Longer.

Among others, I enjoy Richard Russo (Straight Man, Empire Falls, etc.).

Priene said:

Read GB84. Good book. Great tension. Couldn't help. But feel. The sentences. Might be a bit. Longer.

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Yeah, it's on my list: working my way through Red Riding Quartet, then I have Wolf Hall and a pile of Neil Gaiman [I'm planning my summer here ]

Michael Chabon and Ian McEwan.

Kazuo Ishiguro.

Lock thread.

(Come on; who didn't know I was gonna say that)?

Am I the only Don DeLillo fan in this place?
I thought Falling Man was amazing.

And I'll read and Amy Hempel, or Marya Hornbacker I can get my hands on, then again, I have no idea at all who writes 'contemporary' books.

Martin Amis Amis Amis Amis

Chris Cleave. Little Bee is awesome.

Adding some names to my tbr pile. Don't read a lot of contemporary. But I loved Revolutionary Road by Yates. Ian McEwan is one of my favorites. Still need to read Ishiguro, though I have some of his books now. And I wanted to add Wally Lamb.

Sacred Games...Vikram Chandra, is fantastic.
Empire Falls by Richard Russo.
Margaret Atwood for sure.
They've all been mentioned, I notice.
John Irving is another one I love to read.