If you had to choose the lifework of any one author, fiction or non-fiction, to be the only available from now on which would you choose?
Off the top of my head, Asimov was (a) entertaining, and (b) crazy-prolific enough that civilization has a shot, if that’s the only nonfiction left.
Henry Miller?
Cormac McCarthy is my favorite author, but I’d probably shoot myself if I could only his books.
Like TOWP, balancing entertainment, volume, and variety, I think I have it narrowed to Ray Bradbury or Jon Krakauer, depending on my fiction/nonfiction leaning at the time of decision.
Remember, you are picking for all civilization, not just for your own entertainment/use.
I’d consider Will and Ariel Durant, but Isaac Asimov is a great choice. I’d also consider Buddha. Hmm…
What about A. Nonymous? He or she is awfully prolific.
Oh, that’s not what I was thinking. So forget entertainment value.
My first thought is educational, so someone like Mr. Britannica (that guy who wrote those encyclopedias). But education is doomed if we’re down to a single author, so I’d find a truly great author that speaks to the human condition. First choice would have been Mark Twain if he had been more prolific, but instead I’ll say Charles Dickens.