大象传媒

Press Releases & Press Packs

17.05.03

FACTUAL & ARTS TV

British novels dominate public's top 100

British books are the nation's favourite, according to a poll of the British public to be revealed on The 大象传媒 Big Read Top 100 on 大象传媒 TWO tonight (Saturday 17 May) at 9.05pm.

Immediately afterwards on 大象传媒 FOUR, the list will be examined and debated by Andrew Marr and a panel of well-known faces.

Nearly 140,000 people nominated their favourite work of fiction as part of The 大象传媒 Big Read.

And they voted overwhelmingly for works by British authors and novels set in the UK.

Sixty-six of the top 100 books are written by British authors past and present from George Orwell and Charlotte Bronte to Roald Dahl and Douglas Adams.

Two iconic British writers - Charles Dickens and Terry Pratchett - are the most nominated authors in the list. Each have five works in the top 100.

While thousands nominated books that transport readers to a different world - 1950s underground America, jazz, sex and drugs in Jack Kerouac's On the Road; Vikram Seth's evocative portrait of India in A Suitable Boy; and the vast Russian landscape in Tolstoy's Anna Karenina - the public also love reading about the beauty of their own country with just over half of the top 100 novels set in the UK (51).

Children's novels did well in The 大象传媒 Big Read Top 100 list with 30 children's books making it into the Top 100.

Lord of the Rings and JK Rowling's Harry Potter books are joined by four works by Jacqueline Wilson, Philip Pullman's His Dark Materials and classic children's story Black Beauty by Anna Sewell.

And fantastic fiction has a life beyond the page with 71% of the top 100 novels adapted for screen.

Jane Root, Controller of 大象传媒 TWO, says: "There has been a fantastic response to the nomination phase for The 大象传媒 Big Read, with over four times as many votes as Great Britons gained in its nomination period.

"On our website over 14,000 messages were posted by people engaging in heated, passionate and funny debates about why their book was the best choice.

"We hope this kind of contagious enthusiasm will spread over the summer and thousands of people will join book groups to discuss, debate and share the experience of books."

The public must wait until Autumn to discover the order of the top 100 novels, when The 大象传媒 Big Read returns to 大象传媒 TWO for a major documentary series.

The 20 most popular novels will be championed by celebrity advocates attempting to persuade viewers that their book is the best.

The public will then be asked to vote again for one of these top 20 to decide which book is the nation's favourite of favourites.

大象传媒 Big Read activities will be taking place throughout the summer in schools, libraries and bookstores - see press release The Big Read beyond the 大象传媒.

The 大象传媒 Big Read website - - has information on the top 100 list, literary quizzes and a message board for the public to share their thoughts about the nominated novels.

In The 大象传媒 Big Read Battle of the Books, a new weekly discussion programme on 大象传媒 FOUR starting in June, two literary advocates pick a book from the list and argue its case to a jury of readers.

Plus there will be special programmes on 大象传媒 national and local radio.

The Big Read Top 100, Saturday 17 May, 大象传媒 TWO at 9.05pm.

The Big Read Debate with Andrew Marr, Saturday 17 May, 大象传媒 FOUR, 10.05pm.

The 大象传媒 Big Read Top 100 best-loved books, in alphabetical order, are:

Notes to Editors

The Big Read - what they've been saying聟

The Big Read television special to reveal Nation's Top 100 books (16.04.03)

The Big Read - Britain's biggest ever reading campaign (14.03.03)

Freeview offers the 大象传媒's eight television channels, interactive services from 大象传媒i, as well as 11 大象传媒 radio networks.

BACK TO THE TOP

PRINTABLE VERSION