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> you have to wittle that down further

Not really. That list spans 75-ish years of English literature. There are only about 400 years of (modern-enough-to-be-read-by-non-specialist) English literature. If your statement were true, we'd have to assume that there's only space for about 40 authors in the English canon. Even at my non-championship status, I'd guess I've read fiction by 150-ish authors. I'd expect people whose lives are focused on literature are an order of magnitude beyond that.

For me personally, it's usually random chance or personal recommendations that get me to read something from a new author. (I also mostly read things at least a couple decades old.) But a lot of authors basically reach the "canon" in their own lifetimes, at which point it's not a giant roll of the dice to read their recent books. Even when it is though, I mostly read for my own amusement. I'm not expecting any reward other than additional rolled eyes from friends at the bar. ;-)




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