# Who's the hottest writer out there? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 8, 2005, 4:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-the-hottest-writer-out-there/334618 "2005-12-08T04:12:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![bordelond](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bordelond/32/150_2.png) [@bordelond](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bordelond)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2005, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-the-hottest-writer-out-there/334618/21 "2005-12-08T17:13:36Z")
> [@Revtim](#): > > Yeah, I was wondering if her NYT head shot was just a very good picture of her, but she was on The Colbert Report recently and was looking very attractive. I loves me the redheads! I third [Maureen Dowd]([www.nndb.com/people/](http://www.nndb.com/people/) 389/000032293/). ---
**Author:** ![Infovore](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/infovore/32/420_2.png) [@Infovore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Infovore)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2005, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-the-hottest-writer-out-there/334618/22 "2005-12-08T17:21:59Z")
I think [Chuck Palahniuk](http://fans.seventh-sin.org/chuck/images/chuck_01.jpg) is quite attractive–an opinion that was borne out when I got to meet him on one of his book tours, though he didn’t look much like his online pictures: more of a [sexy cool/nerdy college professor](http://www.magespace.net/chuck.jpg) thing going on in person (truly sorry about the horrible camphone pic). ---
**Author:** ![Kalhoun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3bc359/32.png) [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2005, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-the-hottest-writer-out-there/334618/23 "2005-12-08T17:25:07Z")
> [@Judith Prietht](#): > > No kidding. I went to a recent John Irving reading in Chicago, and not only was it a full house, there was an almost audible gasp from the ladies in the audience when he walked onstage. > > [Glen David Gold](http://www.bookreporter.com/authors/au-gold-glen-david.asp), author of **Carter Beats the Devil** and husband of Alice Sebold, gets my vote. He gets my blood goin’…here’s his gorgeous self back in the day: [http://www.achievement.org/autodoc/photocredit/achievers/irv0-004](http://www.achievement.org/autodoc/photocredit/achievers/irv0-004) ---
**Author:** ![OtakuLoki](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ac8455/32.png) [@OtakuLoki](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OtakuLoki)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2005, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-the-hottest-writer-out-there/334618/24 "2005-12-08T18:51:53Z")
I have agree (reluctantly) that Maureen Dowd is misnamed. She’s not dowdy, dammit. ---
**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2005, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-the-hottest-writer-out-there/334618/25 "2005-12-08T18:56:43Z")
> [@bordelond](#): > > I third [Maureen Dowd]([www.nndb.com/people/](http://www.nndb.com/people/) 389/000032293/). Fixed link (a stray space got it there) [http://www.nndb.com/people/389/000032293/](http://www.nndb.com/people/389/000032293/) ---
**Author:** ![wolf\_in\_second\_hand\_clothing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/9d8465/32.png) [@wolf\_in\_second\_hand\_clothing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolf_in_second_hand_clothing)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2005, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-the-hottest-writer-out-there/334618/26 "2005-12-08T21:41:54Z")
[Jhumpa Lahiri.](http://www.bostonphoenix.com/archive/books/99/06/10/INTERPRETER.html) ---
**Author:** ![Dangerosa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Dangerosa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dangerosa)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2005, 12:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-the-hottest-writer-out-there/334618/27 "2005-12-09T00:58:53Z")
Michael Chabon ---
**Author:** ![Kythereia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e8c25b/32.png) [@Kythereia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kythereia)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2005, 1:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-the-hottest-writer-out-there/334618/28 "2005-12-09T01:15:43Z")
Man, I thought this thread would have sunk like the _Titanic_ by now 🙂 I wholeheartedly second John Irving and Neil Gaiman, and add–as a shoutout from CanLit–[Naomi Klein](http://www.marxists.org/glossary/people/k/pics/klein.gif), author of _No Logo_. ---
**Author:** ![Airblairxxx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Airblairxxx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Airblairxxx)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2005, 1:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-the-hottest-writer-out-there/334618/29 "2005-12-09T01:41:05Z")
I picked up the wife’s copy of _The Devil Wears Prada_ and found myself smitten with the picture of the author, [Lauren Weisberger](http://www.bookreporter.com/authors/au-weisberger-lauren.asp). ---
**Author:** ![Superdude](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/superdude/32/13450_2.png) [@Superdude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superdude)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2005, 2:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-the-hottest-writer-out-there/334618/30 "2005-12-09T02:54:31Z")
> [@OtakuLoki](#): > > I have agree (reluctantly) that Maureen Dowd is misnamed. She’s not dowdy, dammit. Then I guess I fifth this nomination. ---
**Author:** ![Poysyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f4b2a3/32.png) [@Poysyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Poysyn)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2005, 3:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-the-hottest-writer-out-there/334618/31 "2005-12-09T03:12:48Z")
Over-rated maybe - but can I add Michael Crichton [linky-link to yummy doctor type](http://www.crichton-official.com/) and John Grisham [cutie-pie lawyer type](http://www.randomhouse.com/features/grisham/) ---
**Author:** ![sjc](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e5b9ba/32.png) [@sjc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sjc)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2005, 5:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-the-hottest-writer-out-there/334618/32 "2005-12-09T05:29:20Z")
My dad thinks J.K. Rowling is hot based on a photo very much like [this](http://www.fadedgiant.net/assets/images/rowling_j_k_photograph.jpg) one. I can see his point, although I’m not smitten. I don’t think I’d ever seen a picture of [Sarah Vowell](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sarah_Vowell) before did a search for her just now, but she’s exactly like I pictured her. I recently read a book called Dr. Tatiana’s Sex Advice to all Creation, about the sex lives of various animals, and I found the author, [Olivia Judson](http://www.drtatiana.com/author.shtml) quite sexy. (I thought this was apt, given the subject of her book. ---
**Author:** ![Savannah](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b3f665/32.png) [@Savannah](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Savannah)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2005, 5:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-the-hottest-writer-out-there/334618/33 "2005-12-09T05:49:27Z")
[Po Bronson.](http://journal.bentguy.com/pix/Po_Bronson.jpg) I haven’t read anything by him yet. I’d be far too distracted by the dust jacket Oh, my, yum. ---
**Author:** ![Epimetheus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/c4cdca/32.png) [@Epimetheus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Epimetheus)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2005, 1:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-the-hottest-writer-out-there/334618/34 "2005-12-09T13:39:06Z")
> [@wolf in second hand clothing](#): > > [Jhumpa Lahiri.](http://www.bostonphoenix.com/archive/books/99/06/10/INTERPRETER.html) Best by far! Wow! ---
**Author:** ![bordelond](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bordelond/32/150_2.png) [@bordelond](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bordelond)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2005, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-the-hottest-writer-out-there/334618/35 "2005-12-09T15:34:29Z")
> [@wolf in second hand clothing](#): > > [Jhumpa Lahiri.](http://www.bostonphoenix.com/archive/books/99/06/10/INTERPRETER.html) While we’re on female Indian authors, does anyone remember when [Arundhati](http://sisyphe.org/IMG/gif/doc-542.gif) [Roy](http://www.freedomfits.com/images/arundhati_roy.jpg) (_God of Small Things_) made _People_ magazine’s 50 Most Beautiful People list? That would have been 1998-2000 or so. I agree with **sjc’s** dad – J. K. Rowling is quite attractive, just not in a “\*Maxim \* magazine covergirl” kind of way. ---
**Author:** ![melondeca](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b5a626/32.png) [@melondeca](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/melondeca)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2005, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-the-hottest-writer-out-there/334618/36 "2005-12-09T16:09:38Z")
> [@WordMan](#): > > I haven’t read her books, so can’t comment on quality, but [Plum Sykes](http://images.usatoday.com/life/_photos/2004/2004-04/15-sykes.jpg) is a very attractive woman… I finished _Bergdorf Blondes_ last night and I found it amusing. She definitely writes chick lit but if you like **Candace Bushnell** or **Sophie Kinsella** you will probably like her. ---
**Author:** ![wayward](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/a87d85/32.png) [@wayward](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wayward)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2005, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-the-hottest-writer-out-there/334618/37 "2005-12-09T16:23:27Z")
> [@RealityChuck](#): > > …[Alexandra Elizabeth Honigsberg](http://www.sff.net/people/d.honigsberg/writer/alexmilo.htm)… Isn’t that Weird Al Yankovic? I’m sure she’s lovely in real life 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![sjc](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e5b9ba/32.png) [@sjc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sjc)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2005, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-the-hottest-writer-out-there/334618/38 "2005-12-09T18:51:26Z")
All the mentions of **Maureen Dowd** surprise me. I mean I think she’s attractive enough from the pictures linked (the only time I’ve seen what she looked like), but I’m surprised at how many people have chimed in to say they like her. Especially when we haven’t heard much about some of the other writer in this thread. I’d like to third [Jhumpa Lahiri](http://i.cnn.net/cnn/2003/SHOWBIZ/books/09/30/sprj.caf03.jhumpa.lahiri/story.author.jpg). I’d like to [second](http://www.reflections.it/notizie/2005/marzo/foto/thetake02low.jpg)[Naomi](http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/5857/375/1600/naomi%20klein.jpg)[Klein](http://www.chartattack.com/pics/2000/naomiklein/2.jpg). It’s so hard to pick [just](http://www.gaffi.it/images/upload/FP_ARUNDHATI_ROY7.JPG) [one](http://www.commondreams.org/headlines05/images/0610-02.jpg) [picture](http://www.india50.com/images/arundhati_Mood.jpg) [of](http://website.lineone.net/~jon.simmons/roy/aroy07.jpg) [Arundhati](http://www.mundoarabe.org/_derived/cuando_la_paz_es_la_guerra.htm_txt_arundhati_roy.gif) [Roy](http://www.del-rio.net/images/festival/medium/2000_0521_Arundhati_Roy_1296-1-2.jpg)! [Same](http://static.flickr.com/30/42527375_61e483b75e_m.jpg) [for](http://1.im.cz/n/photo/01/37/82avgje-topsirka.jpg) [Zadie](http://image.pathfinder.com/ew/itlist/2000/img/smith.jpg) [Smith](http://news.bbc.co.uk/media/images/38271000/jpg/_38271310_zadie300.jpg). The funny thing is I really haven’t read anything by any of them even though I read quite a bit and I know people who have read them and thought they were great. I read [J.K. Rowling](http://www.harrypotter4.friko.pl/grafika/gs4.jpg) and [Maureen Dowd](http://www.yankeepotroast.org/images/maureenpeel2.gif), however. ---
**Author:** ![shelbo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3d9bf3/32.png) [@shelbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shelbo)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2005, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-the-hottest-writer-out-there/334618/39 "2005-12-09T18:55:46Z")
If you like **Sarah Vowell** you really must rent or buy the _Incredibles_ DVD. One of the extras is a piece by Sarah where she talks about herself, and what it was like to be the voice of Violet. She comes across as someone that would be really fun to hang out with. ---
**Author:** ![bordelond](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bordelond/32/150_2.png) [@bordelond](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bordelond)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2005, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-the-hottest-writer-out-there/334618/40 "2005-12-09T19:02:26Z")
> [@sjc](#): > > All the mentions of **Maureen Dowd** surprise me. I mean I think she’s attractive enough from the pictures linked (the only time I’ve seen what she looked like), but I’m surprised at how many people have chimed in to say they like her. Especially when we haven’t heard much about some of the other writer in this thread. Dowd’s pictures just get more exposure than those of the others listed in this thread. Many Dopers read the editorial pages of their papers, and Dowd’s editorials are carried by many newpapers nationwide. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-the-hottest-writer-out-there/334618.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-the-hottest-writer-out-there/334618.md?page=3)