I haven’t found a way to sort my “read” shelf on Goodreads by most books read by a single author, so I had to do a bit of guess work to get the list below. Nearly 30 years of reading will start to blur together, after all!
Quick-Read Series:
Charlaine Harris
I was really into the Sookie Stackhouse series for a while when I was in university (this will be repeated with several entries in this series section – I used to read the easiest and fastest books I could find between terms as my brain couldn’t handle anything more!) and I think I read the first eight books in the series before giving up and moving on.
John Grisham
I read these in high school. I’ve lost track of which I’ve read and not read, but I’d say I’ve read at least eight of them. They started to feel a bit repetitive, so I eventually gave up on them, but I certainly enjoyed them at the time!
Kathy Reichs
Another series I was into during my college years and can’t quite remember which I’ve read – I think I read them in order and I’ve marked off the 8th and 10th books in the series as read, so I suppose I likely read ten, but it’s possible I skipped a couple without realizing it.
Chris Ryan
I’ve read all the Agent 21 books that have been released so far – 6 in total. Some are better than others, but they’re very quick, fast-paced thrillers that I enjoy even while not believing a word of them!
Stephenie Meyer
I read the whole Twilight series in a week. I know they’re much-maligned and criticized based on everything from their blatant basis in Jane Austen’s work to anti-feminist issues to being totally ridiculous, but they kept me flipping pages without pause, so there’s got to be something there!
Kathryn Kenny, Carolyn Keene and Franklin W. Dixon
Kenny wrote the Trixie Belden series, Keene wrote the Nancy Drew series and Dixon the Hardy Boys. I read all the Trixie books I could get my hands on as a kid – but they were hard to find. Nancy Drew and Hardy Boys were easier to find and I read a decent number, but no idea how many in total. Definitely didn’t read all of them – there are far too many!
Stand-Alones and More Involved Series:
Douglas Coupland
I’ve read a lot of Douglas Coupland. My husband introduced me to his work as he’s a local author to where he grew up. I started reading and ended up really enjoying his work. I’ve now read 13 of his books in their entirety and at least another four in part. Definitely worth checking out if you’re from the Vancouver area or want to know what it’s like here!
Sue Townsend
I was obsessed with Adrian Mole when I was a kid. I think I read the first 6 books in the series, and then went on to read another five of her stand-alone novels. Something about her wit and sense of humour that is tragicomedy at its best!
J.K. Rowling/Robert Galbraith
I’m putting these in this section because to me they’re not the same thing as the series listed above. I invested in them much more deeply and felt that there was more substance to them, even though they were kids’ books. I read all of the Harry Potter series (more than once) and two of the Robert Galbraith series (and another one I got about halfway before giving up).
Tom Robbins
I discovered Robbins in high school thanks to an ex who was really into his work. I completely fell in love with his books and went on to read nine of them. There was something about them that stood out to me – I have trouble putting it into words, but it’s like they’re written in bright colours. They’re funny, irreverent and downright absurd. But in the best possible way. One of my favourite books of all time is Fierce Invalids Home from Hot Climates.
James Herriot
Another series that has more to it. It’s the tales of a Yorkshire Vet starting in the 1930s. It’s whimsical, hilarious, infuriating and just charming. It’ll make you wonder if the modern conveniences we all rely on so much are really worth it when the past came with such an idyllic setting. I mean, I know we’re better off now for sure, but something about the community and setting of these books completely wins me over every time. I discovered them thanks to my Nan, who used to leave books she’d read and enjoyed in her spare room. I discovered several favourites by perusing her recently-read shelf (including the next one on the list).
Bill Bryson
I cannot tell you how hilarious Bill Bryson is. If you’ve never read him, you really should give him a try. I started with In A Sunburned Country and was well and truly hooked. He manages to make whatever place he’s writing about come alive as you read. He mixes humorous anecdotes with interesting facts and the result is a thoroughly enjoyable read. I’ve read seven of his books completely, and a few more in part.
Isabel Allende
I discovered Allende when I was in college and was going through a phase of Latin American writing. Her books are just so beautiful! She writes, like Tom Robbins, in full colour. Her characters will feel real to you and her stories are enchanting. House of the Spirits is her most famous, but I think of the 6 I’ve read, Of Love and Shadows or Eva Luna are probably my favourites. I haven’t read any of her most recent books, and I need to get back to her soon!
John Irving
I picked up A Prayer for Owen Meany in grade 11 when I was away at boarding school. It was hard going, and nearly beat me a few times. But I persevered and when I finally made it to the end it was like a new door had been opened in my mind. I went on to read four more of his books (and bits of a few more) and still count him as a favourite author.
That’s it for this week! Did any of mine make your list? Did you include series in yours? What about books you read as a kid?
Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly link-up feature created by The Broke and the Bookish and hosted by Jana at That Artsy Reader Girl. Every week TTT has a different topic, and everyone who links up has to create a link of ten items that fit that topic. To see past and upcoming topics, go here.
I read Harry Potter many, many times, but I never got into the Robert Galbraith stuff.
Yeah… don’t blame you. Love HP, but I found the Galbraith books much longer than they needed to be, repetitive and just overall slow. Didn’t have the charm or magnetism of the HP books, unfortunately.
Kathy Reichs is on my list today, too. I love her Temperance Brennan series and read every one as soon as it comes out. HP is also a favorite, although I haven’t read anything else by Rowling. I used to be into Grisham, but I haven’t been as impressed with his more recent novels, so I haven’t been as enthusiastic about him lately.
Happy TTT!
Susan
http://www.blogginboutbooks.com
Both Reichs and Grisham I read when I was younger and loved at the time, but haven’t stuck with. Hope to return to Reichs one day though! Despite all the recent drama with Rowling I think I’ll always love HP. Just won’t buy her new books in pre-ordered hardback anymore!
John Irving is a favorite of mine, as well.
There’s something about his work – his books start off innocently enough, but then you get pulled into this increasingly twisty world, and before you know it you’re somewhere completely different from where you started off, and it’s dark and a bit scary, but you also absolutely need to see it through. Can be quite brilliant!
Oh my goodness…I had totally forgotten about the Trixie Belden books until I read this post. Oh how I loved those books as a kid!
Me too! I bought every one I could get my hands on and borrowed every one my friends had several times. I used to read them after lights out!
Charlaine Harris made my list too. I completely agree with you about Stephenie Meyer. I read and enjoyed her books. They were great when I just wanted something entertaining to read. Here is my Top Ten Tuesday.
Harris got a bit out there for me at a certain point so I left before finishing, but I enjoyed it for a while. Yeah, Meyer’s books are beyond problematic, but such a good read when you want to really get stuck in!
If everything I ever read was on my Goodreads shelves instead of what I’ve read in the last twenty years, I’d have more James Herriot books. I was surprised to see how few books of my favorite writers I’ve read.
I’m at the point where I’m having trouble remembering which books I’ve read now, so some of this was best guesses. I wasn’t on Goodreads yet whenI was reading Herriot either, so I am not 100% sure on what I’ve read or not either!
I read a lot of John Grisham’s earlier books too!
Yeah, he was definitely required reading for a while there in the ’90s!
My dad used to read James Herriot’s books to me when I was kid, I don’t think we got through them all but I loved the ones we did!
My TTT: https://jjbookblog.wordpress.com/2020/07/07/top-ten-tuesday-271/
Aw, that is just lovely. I discovered him thanks to my grandmother, and so there’s that shared reading experience a bit for me as well. Makes some special books even more so, doesn’t it?
It really does! My dad doesn’t really read all that much now, except for on holiday because he’s too busy, but I still have those great memories of reading together when I was a kid.
I think that’s the best thing. I’ve done research since having a kid into reading to children, and apparently reading to them, even when they’re too young to understand, creates this association between books and feeling safe and loved that can lead to increased lifelong literacy. And, of course, literacy is the greatest predictor of success in everything from social relations to economic prospects. So it always makes me grateful to my parents for all the time they spent reading to me as a child, and I too have some wonderful memories of that. I’m glad you share that with your Dad and have those wonderful associations with some fantastic books!
I was really into the Sookie Stackhouse stories for a while there, too!
My TTT .
Yeah, another that definitely had its moment!
I have no idea what is going on with my computer today! But this is the 3rd time that I’ve send a message today and it simply doesn’t go through….!
Anyway – I love your list!! Maybe my previous message will still reach you….
Sorry that very well could have been at my end. I’ve had some trouble with comments (I have to respond to them in the control panel now) but don’t have the tech savvy to fix the issue!
I so love your list…. You’ve mentioned a couple of authors here that I’ve actually forgot about. John Grisham, John Irving, J.K. Rowling/Robert Galbraith (I agree, also “same” author in my eyes and I’ve read them all) and James Herriot!! I do hope more people will at least know who we are talking about here!
Thanks for the trip down memory lane. Here’s my TTT
It seems like a fair few people also read them a long time ago – yay for having been around for a while, I guess? Rowling/Galbraith all the same for sure. Haven’t read all the Galbraith as they’re just a bit slow and repetitive for my liking. But HP will always be a fave.
How did I forget JK? But I don’t imagine she needs much more publicity!
Great list, thanks for sharing!
My TTT is here http://bookloverssanctuary.com/2020/07/07/top-ten-tuesday-authors-i-have-read-most-books-by/
Yeah, especially not at the moment with everything going on with her online presence. Not super happy with her at the moment, and hard to see a way back from the mess she’s made, unfortunately. Besides, I kind of feel like it’s assumed everyone has read and loved HP at this point!