D.B. or 'Dearly Beloved' refers to the handful of authors who have earned my loyalty. They are the ones whose books I run out to buy, instead of merely checking out at the library. They never fail to surprise, delight and entertain me, no matter how often I read them. As of now, there are only a handful of authors on that list, but there's always room for more.
Terry Pratchett and the Discworld Series:
Pratchett is an amazingly prolific writer, but I have to admit that I've stuck to the 'Discworld' series, and even there I have my favorites. I will say this about Pratchett's books though, when they're good, they're great; and, when they aren't great, they're still pretty good.
Malcolm Gladwell:
What I really want is to possess Gladwell's brain; I covet it madly. But I'll settle for his books. A brilliant writer - he effortless reifys the most abstract concepts, and has an ability to distill the substance of his subject without diluting its essence.
Charles Dickens:
Charles Dickens (1812-1870) is arguably the most iconic writer of the Victorian Age. He was certainly the most popular, a celebrity author of his time. He was able to parlay the experiences of his unhappy childhood into a rich tapestry of work, creating some of the most indelible characters in Literature.
Mark Twain:
Mark Twain, or Samuel Langhorne Clemens (1835-1910) had a varied career as a printer's apprentice, river boat pilot, and newspaperman. We will of course, remember him forever as the grand-daddy of great American Literature.
