The Five Book Club

66 members

This list came about when I happened upon the #10Authors5BooksEach hashtag on social media. Post a list of ten authors where you've read five of their books. I knew who my most read authors were, at least since I started keeping records, and the longer I keep records the less interesting that list becomes to me. I thought a more interesting list to share would be the list of authors who I had most recently read the fifth book by.

The list gets a little awkward the further back in time you look as there are many authors I'd read books by before I began keeping these records. I'd read my fifth book by many of these authors long before the dates listed here; and of course there will be many missing authors whose books I read (or read more of) in the twentieth century.

You can find the whole list of books and authors I've read this century here, I haven't got a version sorted by the authors I've read the most of though.

• John Boyne, read 5 books, the fifth in August 2024
• Graham Swift, read 5 books, the fifth in June 2024
• Jane Smiley, read 5 books, the fifth in May 2024
• Jane Harper, read 5 books, the fifth in October 2023
• Becky Chambers, read 6 books, the fifth in October 2023
• Phillipa Ashley, read 6 books, the fifth in April 2023
• Abir Mukherjee, read 5 books, the fifth in October 2022
• Tessa Hadley, read 5 books, the fifth in March 2022
• Kate Rhodes, read 7 books, the fifth in March 2022
• Louise Candlish, read 5 books, the fifth in January 2022
• Veronica Stallwood, read 5 books, the fifth in December 2021
• Philip Gwynne Jones, read 7 books, the fifth in October 2021
• Jon McGregor, read 5 books, the fifth in June 2021
• Anthony Powell, read 12 books, the fifth in February 2021
• Ali Smith, read 7 books, the fifth in December 2020
• Tim Harford, read 6 books, the fifth in February 2020
• Maggie O'Farrell, read 5 books, the fifth in May 2018
• Elizabeth Jane Howard, read 5 books, the fifth in January 2015
• Frances Brody, read 9 books, the fifth in May 2014
• Anita Brookner, read 5 books, the fifth in April 2014
• Anne Digby, read 5 books, the fifth in February 2014
• Nicola Upson, read 8 books, the fifth in August 2013
• Nicci French, read 6 books, the fifth in March 2013
• Ann Cleeves, read 10 books, the fifth in February 2013
• Elly Griffiths, read 23 books, the fifth in January 2013
• Donna Leon, read 13 books, the fifth in June 2012
• William Boyd, read 6 books, the fifth in June 2012
• Clare Morrall, read 7 books, the fifth in June 2012
• Susan Hill, read 14 books, the fifth in July 2011
• Tim Pears, read 6 books, the fifth in June 2011
• JK Rowling, read 5 books, the fifth in December 2010
• Patrick Gale, read 12 books, the fifth in May 2009
• Joanna Trollope, read 11 books, the fifth in March 2009
• Freya North, read 12 books, the fifth in October 2008
• Ian McEwan, read 11 books, the fifth in October 2008
• Anne Tyler, read 12 books, the fifth in July 2008
• Penelope Lively, read 15 books, the fifth in June 2008
• Margaret Forster, read 13 books, the fifth in March 2008
• Kate Ellis, read 7 books, the fifth in April 2007
• Mark Billingham, read 5 books, the fifth in December 2006
• Denise Mina, read 7 books, the fifth in October 2006
• Kate Atkinson, read 10 books, the fifth in September 2006
• Sara Paretsky, read 16 books, the fifth in March 2006
• Anita Shreve, read 12 books, the fifth in January 2006
• Stephen Booth, read 7 books, the fifth in October 2005
• Barbara Seranella, read 5 books, the fifth in October 2004
• Rebecca Tope, read 11 books, the fifth in June 2004
• Joanne Harris, read 6 books, the fifth in June 2004
• Jill McGown, read 13 books, the fifth in May 2004
• Marcia Muller, read 17 books, the fifth in February 2004
• Ann Granger, read 9 books, the fifth in February 2004
• Val McDermid, read 10 books, the fifth in December 2003
• Sujata Massey, read 11 books, the fifth in September 2003
• Andrew Taylor, read 28 books, the fifth in June 2003
• Sue Grafton, read 10 books, the fifth in March 2003
• Gillian Linscott, read 12 books, the fifth in January 2003
• Barbara Vine, read 9 books, the fifth in November 2002
• Dana Stabenow, read 8 books, the fifth in September 2002
• Barry Maitland, read 6 books, the fifth in June 2002
• SJ Rozan, read 10 books, the fifth in April 2002
• Nevada Barr, read 8 books, the fifth in February 2002
• Jo Bannister, read 10 books, the fifth in February 2002
• Laurie R King, read 25 books, the fifth in February 2002
• Lauren Henderson, read 8 books, the fifth in January 2002
• Agatha Christie, read 17 books, the fifth in September 2001
• Reginald Hill, read 31 books, the fifth in July 2001

Up and coming

And since the decision to draw the line at five books is rather arbitrary anyway, why not see who is almost there? Here are the authors I've read exactly four books by, some of them would be in my club if I'd started keeping records sooner, and others might join soon!

• Linda Barnes, last read in September 2024
• Eric Ambler, last read in August 2024
• Susie Boyt, last read in February 2024
• Mary Robinette Kowal, last read in February 2024
• Nevil Shute, last read in January 2020
• Stella Duffy, last read in July 2018
• Eva Dolan, last read in March 2018
• Liza Cody, last read in April 2012
• Alison Lurie, last read in April 2012
• Ruth Rendell, last read in March 2011
• PD James, last read in January 2008
• Liz Evans, last read in June 2007
• Steve Jones, last read in March 2007
• Stuart Pawson, last read in August 2005
• Peter Robinson, last read in June 2005
• Elizabeth Gunn, last read in December 2001

And just to round things off there are 44 authors I've read exactly three books by, 79 authors I've read two books by, and 353 authors where I've just read a single book they wrote.