CityLibraries most borrowed books
Date published: 31 August 2018
To celebrate Townsville CityLibraries 80th birthday, Townsville City Council has looked back at the most borrowed books over the past 80 years.
Lee Child, the British author who penned the popular Jack Reacher novel series, has taken the number one spot with his novel Worth Dying For borrowed by the public over 1,500 times.
Child is a clear Townsville favourite with two of his other novels, The Affair (1,342) and Bad Luck and Trouble (1,214), also making the top five.
Community and Cultural Development Committee Chair Councillor Colleen Doyle said looking back at the most borrowed books is a good way to find out what type of novels the community is interested in.
“Townsville has a clear penchant for mystery and thriller novels, with both Lee Child and James Patterson taking out places in the top five,” Cr Doyle said.
“But, it isn’t just about the international authors – Ian Townsend makes the list at number three for his book Affection, written about the plague outbreak in Townsville during 1900.
“Affection has been borrowed 1,218 times and was a part of our amazing One Title One Townsville program that encourages members of the community to read the same novel and discuss it.”
The erotic romance novel, Fifty Shades of Grey written by E.L. James has also topped the most-wanted list with 325 reservations, making it more requested than Harry Potter.
Other notable books include Roald Dahl taking out the top spot in Junior Fiction for The Twits (768), in Young Adult Fiction Stephenie Meyer is number one with Twilight (678), and Magda Szubanski’s Reckoning: A Memoir was the most borrowed biography (808).
CityLibraries 80th birthday celebrations will run until 17 November, concluding with a final 80th birthday bash.
Top 10 Adult Fiction
- Worth Dying For (Lee Child) – 1,523
- The Affair (Lee Child) – 1,341
- Affection (Ian Townsend) – 1,216
- Bad Luck and Trouble (Lee Child) – 1,214
- Swimsuit (James Patterson) – 1,163
- One Shot (Lee Child) – 1,135
- Nine Dragons (Michael Connelly) – 1,129
- The 6th Target (James Patterson) – 1,125
- Sail (James Patterson) – 1,072
- 61 Hours: A Reacher Novel (Lee Child) – 1,118
For more information on CityLibraries 80th visit: whatson.townsville.qld.gov.au/events/citylibraries-is-turning-80
