A sin to have left off Dickens, (and where is Kipling?).
Jane Austen, although deserving of high honor, I think rises and falls over the years - she has lately been "rediscovered" and a new generation has fallen in love with her - which is a good thing.
JK Rawling - great storyteller, not great literature.
Reminded me of rock stations that survey their listeners for best all-time albums. You will always get Allmans at Fillmore East and Abbey Road in the top ten, but No. 1 will be whatever is HOT that year.
1976 "Frampton Comes Alive" took the No. 1 slot, 5 years later it was AC/DC and Frampton had slid way down. Abbey Road and Allmans was still in the top ten (and always have been).
Austen, Shakespeare, CS Lewis will ALWAYS be top ten, no atter the generation, (but where the hell is Dickens!?)
He's a jingo imperialist doncha know? Therefore he's been canceled.
I’ve vote for Tolkien as #1.
Glad CS Lewis is there. Should be higher, considering that he was a deep thinker as well as a great writer.