Who is your favourite author and why?

Of late, my favourite author is Haruki Murakami. I first heard about him on Writers and Company several years ago. The first of his works that I read was First Person Singular, a collection of short stories. Currently, I’m working my way through 1Q84.

His writing is simple, descriptive, captivating, emotive, and clear. He has a way of drawing a story together that feels almost like a conversation, as if he were telling you the story for the first time over a pint. Throughout, he reminds you of what has come before, gently and without condescension. His stories are laced together with silk.

Before reading Murakami, I would’ve said that Fyodor Dostoevsky was my favourite author. The complexity of his works allowed me to read them at various depths. I did need to be in the mood to read them, though. Murakami, however, has a way of setting the mood, just so, through the open pages of his books.