Scanning the Backlist #1

Scanning the Backlist is a feature created by Julie over at Book Hooked Blog.  Julie's gone through all of the authors she's reviewed in the past, and explored their backlist titles.  Through this feature, she then highlights some of the backlisted books that she most wants to read.

I think this is a GREAT idea, because I review tons of new-to-me authors, and swear that I am going to read everything that they ever wrote, but then I...don't.  Because I get distracted by shiny things and never actually make it to those backlisted books.  So perhaps this feature will remind me of all this good reading I have waiting for me!

Today, I have 2 authors to highlight:

Emma Donoghue

I read Donoghue's Room pre-blogging days, and was instantly captivated.  I finally got around to reading another of her novels, Landing, a couple of years ago.  Even though I didn't love that one as much, I was extremely surprised by how different these two novels were--if I hadn't read the covers, I would have never guessed they were created by the same author.  Not just because of the subjects, but even the writing style had a different feel.  Donoghue has a lengthy backlist beyond Room and Landing, and they all seem just as varied in scope as the two that I've already read.  I'm especially interested in Slammerkin (historical fiction set in 18th century England) and her debut novel, Stir-Fry.

David Park

One of the first review copies I ever received was David Park's The Light of Amsterdam.  It is an emotionally complex, character-driven novel, and totally up my alley.  In checking out Park's other work, it seems much of it is not very well known (though, to be fair, neither is Amsterdam).  However, he takes on an array of interesting subjects.  In The Poet's Wives, he writes from the perspective of three poets' wives (two real and one fictional).  And in The Truth Commissioner, he creates a fictional "truth commission" investigating the disappearance of a young Irish Catholic boy.
He does appear to have some older works that focus primarily on the Troubles in Northern Ireland, though they are very limited release and likely hard to find.  I'd like to get my hands on at least one of his other books though, just to see if they are as atmospheric and intriguing as The Light of Amsterdam.

Whose backlist are YOU interested in perusing, reader friends?