One-hit Wonders

elemenoP · 07-02-2012, 10:51 AM

Name a writer who wrote an INCREDIBLE book... and also wrote some or many more mediocre-to-bad ones.

I would say Sara Gruen. I loved Water for Elephants: the plot, the characters, and the writing style. Then I read Ape House and I couldn't believe it was by the same author. Terrible, terrible writing. I have not read her earlier works but I see they get some bad reviews.

eP

Mike L · 07-02-2012, 12:41 PM

The definitive one-hit wonder is surely Harper Lee. She wrote a phenomenally successful book, selling tens of millions of copies in dozens of languages. And then wrote nothing else.

Mike

issybird · 07-02-2012, 12:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mike L

The definitive one-hit wonder is surely Harper Lee. She wrote a phenomenally successful book, selling tens of millions of copies in dozens of languages. And then wrote nothing else.

Mike

I can see your Harper Lee and raise you Margaret Mitchell. But I think the OP wants authors who wrote one good book and a load o' carp otherwise.

Apache · 07-02-2012, 01:45 PM

Mash by Richard Hooker, a pseudonym for Dr. H. Richard Hornberger.
Apache

Zetmolm · 07-02-2012, 02:59 PM

Donna Tartt. The Secret History is great. The Little Friend is completely hopeless.

GA Russell · 07-02-2012, 03:14 PM

Moby Dick by Herman Melville.

I took a course on Melville in college. I enjoyed the books, but none of them were particularly good except Moby Dick. Of course, there are some who say that that one wasn't good either, but that's for another discussion.

Catlady · 07-02-2012, 03:48 PM

Colleen McCullough, maybe? Loved The Thorn Birds, but could barely get through any of her other books around that time. I don't know what her more recent work is like, though.

AnemicOak · 07-02-2012, 03:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Catlady

Colleen McCullough, maybe? Loved The Thorn Birds, but could barely get through any of her other books around that time. I don't know what her more recent work is like, though.

Her Masters of Rome series is pretty popular.

AnemicOak · 07-02-2012, 03:54 PM

Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger?

sun surfer · 07-02-2012, 04:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by issybird

I can see your Harper Lee and raise you Margaret Mitchell...

And I can see your Margaret Mitchell and raise you Emily Brontë.

yekim54 · 07-02-2012, 09:38 PM

The Bible by God

SteveEisenberg · 07-02-2012, 10:00 PM

Harriet Beecher Stowe. In her followup to Uncle Tom's Cabin, titled Dred: A Tale of the Great Dismal Swamp, Stowe is careful to make sure every black character is supremely dignified. But they are dull as well. At least, that's how I remember it from when I read both books as a teenager (or maybe even younger). I do recall being impressed that the library's copy of Dred, if not an 1856 first edition, was close to it. Meaning, among other things, that not a whole lot of people read Dred.

Quote:

Originally Posted by yekim54

The Bible by God

I'm afraid to ask what the mediocre to bad follow-ups are.

xg4bx · 07-03-2012, 01:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by yekim54

The Bible by God

he really needs to write a sequel to that. there have been a few spin-offs here and there but too many people are trying to retcon through their own fan networks lately. there are still some big questions that need answering.

JeremyR · 07-03-2012, 05:42 AM

I would say JRRR Tolkien. He did great with The Hobbit, but then followed it up with a mind numbingly dull trilogy, and his other stuff is even more obtuse.

GatorDeb · 07-03-2012, 06:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by yekim54

The Bible by God

The 10 Commandments.

07-02-2012, 10:51 AM	#1
elemenoP Wizard Posts: 1,447 Karma: 2827758 Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: NYC Device: Sony 650	One-hit Wonders Name a writer who wrote an INCREDIBLE book... and also wrote some or many more mediocre-to-bad ones. I would say Sara Gruen. I loved Water for Elephants: the plot, the characters, and the writing style. Then I read Ape House and I couldn't believe it was by the same author. Terrible, terrible writing. I have not read her earlier works but I see they get some bad reviews. eP

07-02-2012, 12:41 PM	#2
Mike L Wizard Posts: 1,175 Karma: 2962988 Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Edinburgh, Scotland Device: Kindle 3	The definitive one-hit wonder is surely Harper Lee. She wrote a phenomenally successful book, selling tens of millions of copies in dozens of languages. And then wrote nothing else. Mike __________________ Currently reading: Why Was Queen Victoria Such a Prude? (David Haviland); Payment Deferred (C.S. Forester)

07-02-2012, 03:14 PM	#6
GA Russell Argos win the Grey Cup! Posts: 3,367 Karma: 11423475 Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Raleigh, NC Device: jetBook Lite, Libre Pro	Moby Dick by Herman Melville. I took a course on Melville in college. I enjoyed the books, but none of them were particularly good except Moby Dick. Of course, there are some who say that that one wasn't good either, but that's for another discussion. __________________ SquareTrade iPhone warranty...http://squaretrade.extole.com/a/clk/3C3Ql Doubleday Book Club...http://doubleday.tellapal.com/a/clk/1PrVb Quality Paperback Book Club...http://qpb.extole.com/a/clk/1fzWC ShopRunner free shipping consortium...http://www.shoprunner.com/invite/a0QG0000004QlTFMA0 MagazineOpinions paid surveys...http://www.magazineopinions.com/e/s.aspx?fid=1511333 MindField paid surveys...http://mindfieldonline.com/referral/0766b39f

07-02-2012, 03:54 PM	#9
AnemicOak Bookaholic Posts: 7,401 Karma: 18771935 Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Minnesota Device: AuraHD, Nook HD+, Kindle 2,3,T , Opus, TF101, Nexus7, iPT, iPhone5	Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger? __________________ ~Brian "The test of any good fiction is that you should care something for the characters; the good to succeed, the bad to fail. The trouble with most fiction is that you want them all to land in hell together, as quickly as possible." — Mark Twain

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07-02-2012, 01:45 PM	#4
Apache Readaholic Posts: 1,609 Karma: 25785098 Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: South Georgia Device: Nook Color / Nook HD+	Mash by Richard Hooker, a pseudonym for Dr. H. Richard Hornberger. Apache

07-02-2012, 02:59 PM	#5
Zetmolm Evangelist Posts: 418 Karma: 835018 Join Date: Jan 2010 Device: Onyx Boox 60, PocketBook Touch	Donna Tartt. The Secret History is great. The Little Friend is completely hopeless.

07-02-2012, 03:48 PM	#7
Catlady Wizard Posts: 1,973 Karma: 5078806 Join Date: Oct 2010 Device: jetBook Lite, Libre Color	Colleen McCullough, maybe? Loved The Thorn Birds, but could barely get through any of her other books around that time. I don't know what her more recent work is like, though.

07-02-2012, 09:38 PM	#11
yekim54 Reacher said nothing. Posts: 293 Karma: 981684 Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Dunn Loring Device: Sony PRS-505, PRS-650, Asus TF101	The Bible by God

07-03-2012, 05:42 AM	#14
JeremyR Guru Posts: 950 Karma: 2385068 Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: St. Louis Device: Kindle 3 Wi-Fi	I would say JRRR Tolkien. He did great with The Hobbit, but then followed it up with a mind numbingly dull trilogy, and his other stuff is even more obtuse.

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