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Literature doesn’t have a shelf life, and that’s why many of the best writers are outlived by their works. Truly great writers can capture readers’ imaginations for decades or even centuries. Four hundred years after his death,
Shakespeare’s works are still studied and performed around the world, whilst J.R.R Tolkien’s fantastical worlds have been adapted into hugely popular blockbusters. And one Edgar Allan Poe fan was so dedicated that he anonymously visited Poe’s grave on his birthday for seventy years!
The dawn of social media has given us new ways to appreciate and share the literature that we love. Book lovers have used hashtags like #bookstagram, #books and #bibliophile millions of times on Instagram. Whether it’s for their favourite literary quote, a snap of a pretty book cover, or to show off an impressive bookshelf, Instagrammers love to share what they are reading and enjoying.
With this in mind, the team at McGowan Transcriptions wanted to explore this growing trend. They’ve carried out their own study to determine which writers are ‘gone but not forgotten’ in the age of social media. As well as looking at hashtags which include the names of famous authors, they’ve also conducted an analysis of each of their literary works. This has allowed them to find out which of their books, poems, and plays are still being regularly talked about on Instagram.
Take a look at the top five most mentioned authors and their most Instagrammed work:
1. William Shakespeare – 2,010,059 posts
Perhaps unsurprisingly, the Bard of Avon reigns supreme. His most mentioned play is his iconic tragedy of two star-crossed lovers, Romeo and Juliet, with close to 600,000 posts. It’s a staple of school curriculums globally, and has also proved to be a popular source material for film adaptations.
2. J.R.R Tolkien – 964,045 posts
A true world builder, Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit books have remained incredibly popular. Their film adaptations have only served to bolster their popularity, with hashtags related to these titles having been used close to 5 million times. In addition, an analysis of Google Trends data shows that the release of each film correlated with an upsurge in the number of people searching for Tolkien online.
3. Edgar Allan Poe – 789,022 posts
Unlike Tolkien, Edgar Allan Poe’s name has been mentioned far more than any of his works. He’s a pioneer of the unusual and the gothic, and this may explain why the number of searches for his name always rises around Halloween. Plus, October is also the anniversary of his still unexplained death.
4. Maya Angelou – 591,462
One of the only modern writers to make it on to the list, Maya Angelou’s perceptive and thought-provoking words have left behind an impressive legacy. Her most popular work is her 1969 memoir I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, which also had the honour of remaining on The New York Times’ paperback nonfiction bestseller list for two years.
5. Jane Austen – 544,636
Although she wasn’t well known at all in her lifetime, Jane Austen’s novels became wildly popular after her death. Pride and Prejudice is her most mentioned work, which has almost certainly been helped by its numerous film adaptations!
The full study of 27 authors has been brought together into a handy infographic. Take a look to see all the data:
You may also want to read: Storytelling Quotes from Great Writers [Infographic]
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