Why is it so surprising that a dyslexic can write brilliant books? Alexander Graham Bell, Faraday, Einstein, Pierre Curie, and Edison were all dyslexics. Many with learning disorders find it difficult to learn to read in the traditional way, but it has nothing to do with their level of intelligence. They just have to find nontraditional ways to learn. My son has a learning disability but he became the second-youngest person in our state ever to graduate from law school and be admitted to the bar. His daughter is autistic but received the reading award in kindergarten for reading on a 4th grade level. One of my grandsons has dysgraphia, another learning disability which makes it difficult for him to write, but he was moved up a grade in school and is a fantastic goalie on his hockey team. We all have something to overcome in our lives. It doesn't make us extraordinary. Writing brilliant books is what made Dahl extraordinary.
I once went to the library in Keene, New York, built the year before Gorky wrote Mother - his most famous novel - in that little town. I asked the librarian if there was anything in the library commemorating his stay in Keene. She asked if had looked in the shelves under "G."
I'd never heard of jonathan franzen, but looked him up and need to read him. Thanks! I loved that you included Barbara Kingsolver. Fan for 20 years... I have heard of Susan Sontag but thought she wrote musical plays for Broadway.... This site sure reminds me I am not nearly as smart as I think I am. ;) Now that my mom isn't here any more to tell me... Camus, Dumas, Alger, of couse I know of them, but never read them...even Rushdie, I did not read, just skim. Dave Eggers is the last I never heard of...gotta look him up now.
I agree that this site does not do wonders for one's ego. I am constantly humbled by seeing how little I really know, and even more so by some of the enlightening remarks posted by others.
Stephen Sondheim does that, writes musical plays, which is really close to Susan Sontag, I can see why you mixed that as I mix far less close names in my head all the time. Hockney and Warhol for instance ... I know really not the same at all but ... there I am.
Christie! Can't believe I missed that because all I could think of was the NJ governor (and I knew it wasn't him). And I used to be such a huge fan, too.
I didn't have to try to hard to get the right answer, but for some reason I was convinced it was Dom DeLillo.
Always bugs me when there are multiple quizzes on the same subject that reuse names. Why not swap plath out for someone who wasn't already an answer in #1?
But yeah, having dyslexia doesn't mean you can't write a good story
I didn't have to try to hard to get the right answer, but for some reason I was convinced it was Dom DeLillo.