Who was/ is the worst author in history?

Question

>> Ayn Rand << The worst author to ever live!

Mandi: I advise you, Please don't make the same mistake as I did! Reading Atlas Shrugged and The Fountainhead was the worst mistake I ever did in my life! Those couple of days were like being in the ninth circle of hell!

Seriously, she IS THE WORST AUTHOR TO EVER LIVE!

You might view objectivism in a positive manner, but I think the notion with objectivism is one of the most evil things I've heard of. IT SUCKS THE LIFE OUT OF LIFE! It's that bad.

Trust me. She was an evil women! There's no doubt about it. Just read her damn cult-infected book and you'll soon discover the disgusting nihilism I've seen presented in the book.

The books are horrid, that's all I can say!

Answer 1

Give Mandi a break! It sounds like you have some serious issues or hang-ups to deal with. Looking at your profile you come across as a pseudo-intellectual. I'm sure anyone who doesn't agree with you about Ayn Rand will automatically be disqualified for best answer.

I'm pretty sure I'm a lot older than you are. While Ayn Rand is not my favorite author she does raise issues that merit consideration. Have you given any thought that perhaps she deliberately wrote the way she did to create provocation and outrage? Surely you've either read or heard of other authors who have employed this technique--not necessarily subscribing to the premise, but were trying to get it out in the open. You posed a question only to provide the only answer acceptable to you and then you proceeded to rant on the subject.

I agree with some of the others who have answered you. Certainly the romance writers deserve to have their ink cartridges run out. V.C. Andrews is also horrid--which is made worse because she(?) is dead and others are writing stories in her name so the publisher can sell books. There are many modern writers who make the bestseller list who deserve boos and hisses--Augustine Burroughs is a particular favorite of mine to hate.

If you want a forum for your decidely biased views, I suggest you start a book club or reading group that can intellectualize what matters most to you.

Answer 2

I disagree with Ayn Rand being the worst-- I have read Anthem and We the Living and, although I'm absorbed with Chaim Potok at the moment, I will read The Fountanhead and Atlas Shrugged when I get the chance. If she was the worst author in history, no one would know of her because her books would have never been published.

So there is my argument: There is no "worst author" because anyone who makes it to the step "author" has been published and, therefore, has a good work to some people. Just because you dislike one author's ideas or style does not make them bad. I'm not a fan of J D Salinger, although some people would swear by him. There is no such thing as "the worst author."

EDIT TO RESPONSE: Although I do appreciate your concern, I understand some of Rand's ideas and respect them as her own. What I'm most interested in in life is learning about other people, their beliefs and whatnot, the social science spectrum. Learning about certain beliefs like Rand's is something that I may not share in but like to know about. I also respect your opinion, but I don't think it's right for you to base a book's goodness or badness on if you agree with the author's views. And, besides, if I don't like the book I can stop reading it-- that's simple enough.

Answer 3

Can't disagree with you more. Have you read Fountainhead? If you're so anti her philosophy, this may be a better book for you. It is there, but not as glaringly. She writes sex like it should be. Give her another chance.

As for my nomination, I elect any of the Beats--in particular Kerouac. Writing while doing drugs does not make you a literary genius. It makes it disjointed and impossible to read (unless, of course, you're on drugs yourself). Had a whole semester of Ginsberg and I don't think I'll ever read anything by any Beat ever again.

Answer 4

There are many vile writers. Trash writers. Junk books. To me, it's not enough to point out there are a lot of crap pulp writers. You need to find a writer of flawless reputation -- who sucks.

I nominate Henry James. His writing is circuitous and unreadable. It may be psychologically penetrating. But the fact that you always say "What the hell was he talking about?" after everything he ever wrote sort of dents his virtues. I think it was Edith Sitwell who described reading Henry James as like "passing through amber." I have no idea whether that was a compliment to her. I think that sums it up, though. -- Either a very rich experience, or a suffocating sticking place.

Answer 5

You may want to look up "nihilism". Rand did not deny objective or moral truth.

I recommend you spend more time focusing on individuals whom you admire as writers. It would likely be more productive and make you happier. Oops! I just exercised objectivism. Didn't mean to suck life away from you. Take care.

Answer 6

Best author: Geoffrey Chaucer. Total gimme: the guy survives conflicting monarchs intact (ie: he didn't get his head chopped off) and wrote one of the cardinal pieces of English literature, in which he questioned every social station, every demographic...social criticism that didn't get him killed. That's pretty cool. Also: the guy wasn't a poet. He was an accountant. Just the fact that his works are still read 700 years later AND still have social, political and economic relevance speaks volumes to his importance.

Answer 7

While I agree that Ayn Rand was bad, I'm pretty sure that Barbara Cartland was worse. In fact, I think anyone that has ever been published by Harlequin may qualify for the title.

Answer 8

Somerset Maughm comes to mind, but hands down I'd have to say Margaret Atwood in my opinion, is the worst published author ever. I Am probably going to be hunted down by the Canadian culture police now but I stand by my call.

Answer 9

The list is too long to mention them all, but I'll name a few.
Jeffrey Archer, Tolstoy, Barbara Cartland, Will Self...

I can't continue, the list is too depressing.
What really bothers me is the publishers who publish this junk. They should be thrown in jail,

Answer 10

Ayn Rand, with Anthem.