Top Ten Tuesday – Authors I’ve Read the Most Books By

It’s been some time since I did a Top 10 Tuesday post! Happy Tuesday everyone! I hope you’re all enjoying what you’re reading or doing.

Top Ten Tuesday is an original blog meme created by The Broke and the Bookish and is currently being hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl. This week’s given topic is Authors I’ve Read the Most Books By.

So let us start the list!

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1) Danielle Steel – 42 Books

Many of you might be surprised but American author Danielle Steel, at a whopping 42 books, is my most read writer. My first ever Steel book was The Gift which I read when I was a senior in high school. I read most of her work in college as one of my female professors was very fond of her. She is also easily one of the most recognizable names as her works were also some of the most accessible. Of her works, The Gift, The Long Road Home, No Greater Love, and Zoya are among my favorites. It’s been five or six years since I read one of her works.

2) Agatha Christie – 28 Books

This is a list dominated by female writers. The uncontested Queen of Suspense, Dame Agatha Christie came at a very critical juncture. I was losing interest in reading, more particularly in suspense and mystery fiction. The Murder on the Orient Express changed all that. It was a pulsating read that I was swept. It did start a little slowly but the tale was spun very ingeniously that I was caught off guard when Hercule Poirot managed to solve the mystery. The book ended up becoming one of my all time reads. I still have a couple of her works and I fully intend to read all her works (which is at about 80).

3) Mary Higgins Clark – 25 Books

Yes, another lady in the top three! Here’s a fun fact, the very first novel I’ve read and the first one I’ve written a book review (for a sophomore high school English class) on was Mary Higgins Clark’s Before I Say Goodbye. I wouldn’t touch another book until two years later. And guess who the author of that book was? Yes, Mary Higgins Clark’s A Cry in the Night. From that point on, there was no looking back. She was one of my early favorites and I was saddened by her demise earlier this year.

4) Nora Roberts – 21 Books

It was in college that I was introduced to Nora Roberts. A friend gave me Home Port, obviously a romance story with some twists. After reading 21 of her works, I learned that she played by the same trope (I can say the same with most authors in this list). Her works were easy to read and there were some that were really entertaining. I loved delving into her trilogies and series. They are the reason why I have read over 20 Nora Roberts books. It’s been some time though since I last read any of her works.

5) Sidney Sheldon – 19 Books

Rounding out my top five is one of my favorite authors. In my earlier days of reading, it was his works that sustained my interest and I always credit him for making me the voracious reader that I am today. Although obviously he is not a woman, he might as well belong in the ranks because, in 17 of his 18 novels, women were the primary characters (the only exception was The Doomsday Conspiracy). I’ve also read his memoir and I can relate with his mental struggles; he struggled with bipolar disorder.

6) Nicholas Sparks – 18 Books

Ahhh. Mr. Romantic Guy! That’s how I’ve always referred to Nicholas Sparks because obviously, most of his works were built around young love and romance. I’m not sure if my journey started with The Notebook or some of his other works but I loved The Notebook. Actually, I loved all of his earlier works, from The Notebook to The Wedding. They were all rather short but they had all the right elements to remind one how it is to fall in love, with the pains of it going along with it. I once dreamt of reading all his works but I find his latter works rather trite and bland. His earlier works were all gems though.

7) Jackie Collins – 15 Books

Yet another unexpected name in the list you might think but the high school me was intrigued by Jackie Collins’ portrayal (lusty and perverted) of Hollywood, especially its kinks. My friends and I found them outrageous, witty and a whole lot of humorous. She unbraided my perceptions of Hollywood and made me see its other side. Later on, I would realize that that was how it has always been. For her wit, Lucky Santangelo, Collins’ brainchild, is one of my most unforgettable characters.

8) Daniel Handler and John Grisham – 14 Books

It took this high a number before the first tie in the list, and two authors whose literary worlds don’t even meet and whose writing styles are the antithesis of each other.

Let’s start with the serious one. I started with John Grisham way back in late high school. Back then, I was reading all books that come within my reach and his works were easily obtainable. At least my friends have a copy of his works. I think I started with The Firm or A Time To Kill which I both loved. As I read more of his works, it has become apparent that they revolve around the legal, law that is. He does have some witty and humorous writing and at times, he deviate from his usual. Playing for Pizza and Skipping Christmas were nice distractions from his typically law-laden works.

Daniel Handler is easily John Grisham’s polar opposite. Whilst the latter thrive on the law profession, the former thrive in fantasy and children’s fiction. The only reason Daniel Handler, a.k.a Lemony Snickett, made the list was because I completed reading all thirteen books in his renowned children’s series, A Series of Unfortunate Events. It was gloomy but imaginative and adults can immerse in them as well (I know I did). He introduced to the world yet another memorable character in Count Olaf. His only standalone work I’ve read is Why We Broke Up. 

9) Jeffrey Deaver – 11 Books

My first venture into Jeffrey Deaver’s works was way back in college. Most of his books were available in the college library so I took the risk. Nothing wrong right? I was hooked right away because his brand of writing reminded me of Mary Higgins Clark. Both authors enjoy keeping their readers in tenterhook although Deaver has a more diverse collection. Garden of Beasts, Blue Nowhere, and The Coffin Dancer are among my favorite reads from him.

10) Haruki Murakami – 10 Books

I honestly didn’t expect seeing the ever-popular Japanese novelist Haruki Murakami making this list. HAHA. And he was even on a cliffhanger (had there been no tie at the eighth place, he would be out of the list). Anyway, my Murakami journey started about five years ago with 1Q84. Some of you already know that it was not a great way to start with Murakami. It naturally made me doubt reading more of his works. Thankfully, it didn’t make me stop, rather, it made me even more curious of his works.

Earlier this year, Murakami became just the 11th author to make my list of writers who I’ve read at least 10 works of. It gets even more interesting as he is the only writer in this list who doesn’t originally write in English! With 10 books read, he is my most read author in the past five years.

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And that ends my list! I hope you enjoyed it. How about you, fellow reader? Who are your most read authors? Share it in the comment box. As always, keep safe and enjoy reading! Have a great week ahead everyone.