The fourth reading season has seen the return of many famous names and friends on the Worm’s reading hit-list. We welcomed the Victorian novelists Arthur Conan Doyle in another Sherlock Holmes adventure, as well as the life of Charles Dickens’ “favourite” David Copperfield. T.S. Eliot was again on show, this time in the weighty and fantastic Selected Poems, as has Alan Moore, and – of course – the unshakeable William Shakespeare.
All of which has forced the Worm’s hand at bringing together a new list: ‘Top Author Nods’; otherwise, affectionately known by the Worm himself as “Big Nodders”. To obtain a mention on this – admittedly – pointless list, an author must add up all of their nods achieved by the Worm’s partisan judgement. If ten is totalled or beaten, their name is slapped on the list to the sound of champagne corks popping across the room. Metaphorical sounds and corks, of course.
So far, seven authors have made the grade. These range from the serious (Tom Paine) to the happy (Bill Bryson), from the sensationalist (Bret Easton Ellis) to the downright annoying (David Starkey). The seven names say a lot of the Worm himself and his reading habits these past three to four years. The question he asks of himself: “Was it worth it?”
The current front-runner. Yes, him – Shakespeare! – once again. 7 reads and a healthy dose of nods (including 5 nodders in the form of Macbeth and Richard III) confirm him as a cut above the rest. The gauntlet has been laid down for the others. Even David Starkey.
1. William Shakespeare (7 books - 29 nods)
2. Alan Moore (3 books - 12 nods)
3. Bret Easton Ellis (4 books - 12 nods)
4. Niall Ferguson (3 books - 11 nods)
5. Bill Bryson (4 books - 11 nods)
6. David Starkey (4 books - 11 nods)
7. Thomas Paine (2 books - 10 nods)
