The Doctor of BBC’s Doctor Who might be a world-saving, time-travelling 900-odd-year-old alien, but even he makes time for a good book or two in his hectic life.
What started over 50 years ago as a (somewhat) educational filler-programme is teaching kids today (in a very sneaky way) that literature isn’t dull. Literary references abound on the show, and the Doctor is showing a whole new generation that it’s perfectly acceptable to geek out a little when you meet your favourite author or cry over fictional characters. Sometimes, the literary nods are subtle, a throw-away line here or a sneaky glimpse of something there, but sometimes they are bold and in your face. For example, there are whole episodes dedicated to William Shakespeare, Charles Dickens and Agatha Christie.
Some episodes were even written by famous authors. The list of authors includes such names like Ben Aaronovitch (known for Rivers of London), Douglas Adams (known for Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy), Neil Gaiman (known for Neverwhere) and Mark Gatiss (known for the Lucifer Box trilogy).
As it is World Book Day today, I compiled a list of 40 references to literature or reading on Doctor Who, with a little help from my cousin.
Have we missed anything?
Having grown up in Germany, one of my childhood favourites has always been Das kleine Gespenst (The Little Ghost) by Otfried Preußler! It’s the story of a kind ghost who’d like nothing more than to see daylight instead of haunting his castle at midnight. But when he does manage to wake up at noon he meets humans – and nothing goes according to plan.
Definitely The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien!It’s one of those books I think everybody should read, and it’s suitable for children and adults alike. There’s just something about growing up with stories about Middle-Earth, hobbits, dwarves and dragons that does wonders for your imagination.
As a bilingual, I own many books in English and German editions. Whale Rider by Witi Ihimaera is one of those books. It was the first book I bought in New Zealand, on my second day of school in Auckland, because it was our required text. It has become one of my favourite books over the last 14 years.
Possibly the best literary friendship EVER has to be between Mr Sherlock Holmes and Dr John H. Watson in Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes. Not only are these two the oddest roommates you’ll ever see, their individual skill sets complement each other and they’re friendship and work relationship as consulting detectives lasted more than 40 years. They even retired together. If those are not Best Friend Goals, I don’t know what are!
Eileen by Ottessa Moshfegh is probably one of the worst books I have ever read. To date, it is the only book I only gave a one star review. Incredibly boring and drawn-out, with a thoroughly unpleasant main character and a plot that only really starts on the last 20 pages, this is one book I regret reading. I wish I could have that time I wasted back to read something more worthwhile.
I own many completed series, but the Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling is my favourite of the lot. I also own it in my two main languages – English and German – and it is one of my go-to book series whenever I’m down. I was 11 when I first read Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, so I really have grown up with them and gone to Hogwarts in their year. Returning to Hogwarts is like coming home.
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