The Reading Challenge Group discussion

When I look at my list of "most read authors", I am surprised to find only three authors of whom I've read at least three books: Armistead Maupin (12), Antoine Laurain (4), and Helene Hanff (3).

Which authors have you repeatedly read? Do you prefer hearing a new voice, or returning to that of an old friend when you pick up a new title?

My most read authors are Ellen Hopkins, Stephen King, RL Stein and K A Applegate. I'll read anything and everything, but if I don't know what to read I'll go back to an author I have enjoyed

I have three piles of each author that are my favorite: Nicholas Sparks, Nora Roberts, and Daniel Silva. I have many other wonderful authors and I do enjoy reading new authors as much as my favorite ones.

Whenever I find an author I really like, I tend to read all the books by that author. Over the course of 40 years I have read lots of books, but the overall winner for number of books is Agatha Christie. I read all her books in the 90s and am now rereading my favourites, which are most of them.

I'm kind of surprised to find that my most-read author is Georgette Heyer! I had no idea I'd read so many of her books (32, apparently).

I also like to read all the books by an aithor I really like.

According to Goodreads, my most read authors are:
- Roald Dahl (19)
- Laura Ingalls Wilder (12)
- Aki Shimazaki (10)
- David McKee (10) - I have a collection of Elmer books!!
- Jane Austen and L.M. Montgomery (9 each)

I hadn’t looked at this feature until this week. Goodreads must have had a strange effect on my reading habits. I thought I read mostly psychological thrillers & other modern books. But according to Goodreads my top author is Thomas Hardy, & both Charles Dickens & Jane Austen are also right up there. Too many group challenges perhaps - I don’t even like Jane Austen! (Sorry, I know most people think her books are wonderful.)

Trisha, I like Jane Austen but I like many authors lots more, especially
Hardy for British authors. But now I am taking a break from Austen, and other Victorians as well.
Where do we find that feature on goodreads? I knew my author would be Agatha Christie from List Challenges.

Most of my most read authors are the ones I read when I was younger and read a lot of series for example J. K. Rowling, Enid Blyton, Astrid Lindgren or Cornelia Funke
I definetely forgot how many books that were :D

I found the list mentioned. My second and third authors are Miss Read and Ellis Peters. These are all books I read years ago and enjoyed very much.

Stephen King/Richard Bachman (35)
JK Rowling (7)
Jane Austen (4)
Lois Lowry (4)
Marissa Meyer (4)

I think it's counting re-reads in the stats, which actually makes my list more accurate than it used to be.

Barbara Park (24)
Stephen King (18)
Richelle Mead (14)
Lemony Snicket (13)

John green
All of his books (7) at least twice + the fault in our starts (around 5 times)

Rick riordan (18)

It's been interesting seeing everyone's lists! Since I mostly read nonfiction, my opportunities for reading multiple titles by an author seem to be limited.

Agatha Christie was mentioned by a friend, as well. I have to confess that I've never read anything by her... although I do have "And then there were none" waiting on my shelf!

Agatha Christie is my top author too! My top five are:

1 Agatha Christie 34
2 Georgette Heyer 24
3 Enid Blyton 21
4 Ruth Rendell 20
5 Hergé 19

Stephen King (43)
James Patterson (25)
Nora Roberts (22) + JD Robb (46)
Diana Gabaldon (19)
Janet Evanovitch (32)
Laurel K Hamilton (35)

I'm impressed by all of these high numbers -- such loyal readers! :)

This is a bit off-topic, but I recently watched a documentary film through Netflix called Love Between the Covers, about the worldwide community of women who create, consume, and love romance novels. (These readers are definitely a loyal bunch, too!) Thought I'd mention it in case any of you are interested. www.lovebetweenthecovers.com

Allison wrote: "I think it's counting re-reads in the stats, which actually makes my list more accurate than it used to be."

It doesn't count re-reads - at least for me. I've read Patrick O'Brian's main series twice through (some novels 3 times) and it only shows 25 books read. The series is 20 books long, so it should show 40+.

Sonia wrote: "How are Patrick O'Brien's books on a re-read? Do they improveon the first read? I loved the Aubrey Mathurin series when I read them several years ago and have always intended to read them again one..."
They have so much detail that you keep noticing new things (and you cannot remember it all even after 2 read-throughs). And, of course, as one's knowledge of nautical terminology develops, it is easier to understand all the manoeuvres.

Still, it is funny how I keep yelling to some of the characters not to do something, although I already know that they will do it and that it will lead to their ruin. :P

My top 3 are:


1 Stephen King 45
2 Kathy Reichs 20
3 Terry Goodkind 15

My top 3 are currently
1 Patricia Briggs 10
2 JK Rowling 8
3 Neil Gaiman 3

But that's probably not a real thing (other than the Patricia Briggs) because JK Rowling hasn't written as many books as Patricia Briggs, and I have read a lot more books by Lois McMaster Bujold but this was before I started keeping track on Good Reads. In fact, I've read every Vorkosigan book by her and then listened to all that I could get my hands on. I've also read a lot more by Neil Gaiman, but again, it was before I started keeping track.

I didn't even know this "most read author" stat was available, but I did some digging and found my list:
1. Ilona Andrews - 24
2. Seanan McGuire - 16
3. Patricia Briggs - 15

I suppose this makes sense because all of these write series that I actively follow to the extent that I would actually pre-order books. If I think back over my pre-Goodreads reading life which is 30 years longer than what's reflected here, I suspect my most read author would still be Enid Blyton. I devoured her books as a child.

I read Enid Blyton as well, whatever was available at my home town's very small public library, or even smaller school collection of books.

If I were to go back to my childhood, my most read author would easily be Agatha Christie! I devoured her books as a child and for awhile had every paperback I could get my hands on (at least a couple boxes!). Orson Scott Card would be up there as well.

Jay Kristoff (6)
Ransom Riggs (5)
Maggie stiefvater (5)
Malcom gladwell (5)

Mine are P.C Cast (9), Cassandra Clare (8), and Haruki Murakami (5)

My most read authors list seems to be more influenced by what they write than how much I like them. It's 11 comic writers, then J.K. Rowling, Stephen King and John Steinbeck. Steinbeck is probably the first one on there that I'd consider a favorite author.

Robyn wrote: "When I look at my list of "most read authors", I am surprised to find only three authors of whom I've read at least three books: Armistead Maupin (12), Antoine Laurain (4), and Helene Hanff (3).

..."
If I enjoy an author's work and they have more than a couple...so will I. Broad and varied interest... Stephen King, Patricia Cornwell, J. K. Rowling, John Saul, James Patterson, and some additional series from others. I can almost "box" entire author collections....

Where can I find the current list of the most read authors? My top ten was this in December 2017.

1 Agatha Christie 100
2 Hergé 34
3 Enid Blyton 29
4 Rex Stout 26
5 Stephen King 25
6 Leena Lehtolainen 24
7 Erle Stanley Gardner 17
8 P. D. James 13
9 Franklin W. Dixon 12
10 Eeva Tenhunen 9

It looks like the Most Read Authors feature was disabled in January. There is a mention of it here, along with many pages of comments. (Many folks are upset that the feature was taken away, and without giving us notice beforehand!)

https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...