Authors similar to Anthony Trollope?

[SteveEisenberg]

Originally Posted by SeaBookGuy

He might like Wilkie Collins also, although there's an awful lots of Trollope out there that he should be through with him as an author quite so soon?

Here's how Trollope himself compared the two is his autobiography (found on gutenberg.com):

My friend Wilkie Collins is generally supposed to be sensational. The readers who prefer the one are supposed to take delight in the elucidation of character. Those who hold by the other are charmed by the continuation and gradual development of a plot. All this is, I think, a mistake,--which mistake arises from the inability of the imperfect artist to be at the same time realistic and sensational. A good novel should be both, and both in the highest degree.

Trollope is more or less tied for being my favorite novelist.

As for what novelists a person likes, it is highly personal. I loved every book by the Brontë sisters (except I did not warm to Shirley). But I do not care much about Jane Austen's characters. And yet there is a great tendency to group Charlotte Brontë and Jane Austen together.

In the terms Trollope uses above, I put Dickens in-between Trollope and Collins. If someone loves Trollope and somehow missed Dickens, they should try Dickens.

If Trollope was alive today, I hypothesize that he would join me in being a fan of Richard Russo. I've read all Russo's novels and consider Bridge of Sighs his masterpiece. Russo does rank higher on sensationism than Trollope. One similarity is political -- they are/were liberals who wrote with great respect and compassion about conservatives. But since I have no idea whether this is a reason why ficbot's father likes Trollope, that similarity may be irrelevant.

P.S. Here is something that can easily be loved by a Trollope fan, especially if ficbot's Dad is an American: The Awakening Land trilogy by Conrad Richter. However, Richter titles do not seem to be available as eBooks.

[SeaBookGuy]

O/T but ...

I'm in the midst of watching the "Barchester Chronicles" on video (a combination of The Warden
and Barchester Towers) - Alan Rickman as Mr Slope and Geraldine MacEwan as Mrs Proudie are
a truly explosive combination!