Who do you consider a Great Author of the last 50 years or so (first well-known work after 1970)? I'd like to get a feel for who's who in modern literature. Any language/culture. Fiction only.
Bonus points for any books you believe are classics from that time period. Any language, but only fiction please.
Haruki Murakami is probably the best fit for the time limit you've requested as his first book was published in 1979, he's considered to be one of greatest living authors, and Kafka on the Shore is a classic.
That said my nomination would be Brian Jacques. His children's series Redwall is a long running classic on par with Winnie the Pooh and Alice in Wonderland.