Classic titles & beloved authors dominate readers’ Top 100

31 July 2013

Classic titles & beloved authors dominate readers’ Top 100

Whitcoulls readers have again voted for their favourite books and authors and while the number of votes is up, Kiwi readers still seem to appreciate the classic titles.

Plus, there’s nothing but consistency in our favourite authors – the top three retain their places in the list of 100.

This year, 27,000-plus votes from New Zealanders decided the Top 100 with two of the top three titles retaining their spots among the best.

The most popular book this year remains the award-winning crime series The Millennium trilogy while George RR Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire series deposes last year’s runner up The Hunger Games which drops to number eight.

Taking the bronze medal on the Whitcoulls Top 100 is The Lord of The Rings, with Tolkien’s other fantasy tome The Hobbit in fifth place.

Separating the Tolkien titles is Gillian Flynn’s Gone Girl in fourth spot while Jane Austen’s timeless love tale Pride and Prejudice is voted in at number six, down two places from last year.

New age or old, sci-fi / fantasy remains one of the most popular genres among New Zealand readers. Whitcoulls book manager Joan Mackenzie says its popularity is matched by the resurgence of classic titles such as those by Emily Bronte and Austen.

“Classics are certainly prominent again, perhaps due to the tendency of film producers reviving them for the big screen.”

Most popular author in 2013 is American author Jodi Picoult, which is hardly a surprise according to Mackenzie.
“Not only is Jodi consistently top, but she has many books to her name and is beloved by thousands of New Zealand readers.”

J K Rowling is New Zealand readers’ second most popular author followed by Lee Child, Jane Austen and Bryce Courtenay.

“It’s interesting that J K Rowling retains her popularity at number two,” Mackenzie says. “I wonder what that will say about The Cuckoo’s Calling which was recently revealed as being written by her under a pseudonym.

“And George RR Martin came in at number 10, but given the astonishing amount of his books we’ve sold in the last two years I thought he might have been higher - his followers are intensely loyal.

“While I find it slightly strange to see Jane Austen at number four, it may not be surprising considering the success of Pride and Prejudice on the big screen.”

Other interesting facts about the Top 100:
- Non-fiction hasn’t enjoyed a good year – the top title is The Spark by Kristine Barnett in
28th position. Andre Agassi’s biography is eight spots lower.
- Dan Brown’s best-seller Inferno could manage only 19th spot while the Shades of Grey trilogy plunges 16 places to 21st.
- The most popular book since the Top 100 started in 1996 remains The Lord of The Rings.

The Top 100 books are available now at Whitcoulls stores nationwide and the full list is available online at www.whitcoulls.co.nz.

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