It was a chance to finally get around to Tolstoy or Proust, but the charts tell a different story. Which books did we actually turn to in the lockdowns? • Let us know in the comments what you were reading Back in spring 2020, when it became clear that coronavirus wasn’t going away, book lovers spied an opportunity for a rare, government-mandated reading holiday. Here, at last, was a chance to have a go at Tolstoy’s War and Peace and Proust’s In Search of Lost Time. Robert Macfarlane reported that he was working his way through the great Babylonian Epic of Gilgamesh. Ali Smith urged readers towards Boccaccio’s Decameron. Diana Evans’s thoughts turned “heavenwards” by way of Homer’s Odyssey. I downloaded 27 hours of The Brothers Karamazov audiobook in anticipation.All lovely ideas. With 20 months of hindsight, however, which books did we actually end up turning to? The bestseller lists from the three different lockdowns may not tell you the contents of Britain’s soul, but then again, the numbers do not lie. We read: The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman. Sophie Hinchliffe’s Mrs Hinch: The Little Book of Lists. Lots of David Walliams, who topped the Lockdown 1 and Lockdown 2 charts with Slime and Code Name Bananas respectively. JK Rowling: the first three Harry Potter books steadily rose up the charts through the pandemic. Joe Wicks. The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse. A Pinch of Nom, plus spin-offs. Sally Rooney’s Normal People. Reni Eddo-Lodge’s Why I’m No Longer... Continue reading at 'The Guardian'
[ The Guardian | 2021-12-11 09:00:06 UTC ]
News tagged with:
#lost time
#diana evans
#richard osman
#mrs hinch
#david walliams
#jk rowling
#joe wicks
#sally rooney
#normal people
#reni eddo-lodge
#longer talking
#white people
#harry potter
#bestseller lists
#audiobook
Despite the encroachment of digital downloads, sales of physical audiobooks remain resilient, with Nielsen BookScan reporting that units were up 6% through the first five months of 2014 compared to the same period last year. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-06-13 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with:
#digital downloads
Looking ahead to the American Libraries Association annual conference in Las Vegas later this month, Andrew Albanese takes stock of efforts by ALA’s Digital Content Working Group to influence the future direction of reading. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-06-13 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with:
#future direction
#las vegas
"Mr. Mercedes," Stephen King's latest novel, came in at #2 on Apple's iBooks bestseller list for the week ended June 9, behind "The Fault in Our Stars." Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-06-11 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with:
#ibooks bestsellers
#stephen king
Those in the literary community are weighing in on both sides of the debate, with some saying young adult books aren't sophisticated and others saying they should be able to read whatever they like without being ashamed. Continue reading at The Christian Science Monitor
[ The Christian Science Monitor | 2014-06-10 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with:
#literary community
Our summer online book club covering the works of Haruki Murkami, “A Wild Murakami Chase,” moves on to "The Wind Up Bird Chronicle." Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives
[ Publishing Perspectives | 2014-06-10 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with:
#bird chronicle
Those in the literary community are weighing in on both sides of the debate, with some saying young adult books aren't sophisticated and others saying they should be able to read whatever they like without being ashamed. Continue reading at The Christian Science Monitor
[ The Christian Science Monitor | 2014-06-10 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with:
#literary community
This month, Dan Kois, Jamelle Bouie, and Emily Bazelon discuss Americanah, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s novel about two Nigerians who migrate west: Ifemelu to America, and Obinze to London. Is the romance between these two star-crossed lovers convincing? Do the novel’s sharp-edged takes on race in... Continue reading at Slate
[ Slate | 2014-06-06 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with:
#dan kois
#blog posts
Amazon.com's negotiations with publisher Hachette Books Group have sparked a wave of anger toward the e-commerce giant from authors and readers alike. Several authors and analysts have spoken out, saying Amazon is a threat to traditional publishers. Perhaps. But whatever is going on in the... Continue reading at Silicon Valley Business Journal
[ Silicon Valley Business Journal | 2014-06-05 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with:
#hate amazon
#traditional publishers
#e-commerce giant
In Thailand, various protestors are gathering in public places to silently read books like '1984' and 'Unarmed Insurrection' to convey how they feel about the country's political situation. Continue reading at The Christian Science Monitor
[ The Christian Science Monitor | 2014-06-04 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with:
#public places
#unarmed insurrection
#political situation
In Thailand, various protestors are gathering in public places to silently read books like '1984' and 'Unarmed Insurrection' to convey how they feel about the country's political situation. Continue reading at The Christian Science Monitor
[ The Christian Science Monitor | 2014-06-04 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with:
#public places
#unarmed insurrection
#political situation
In 2008, Coolhaus operated out of a food truck that barely ran. Now, its ice cream can be found nationwide. Here's how it happened. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-06-02 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with:
#food truck
#ice cream
What can cookbooks tell us about politics, economics, and daily life throughout American history? A new series from Michigan State University Press explores just that. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-06-02 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with:
#american history
#daily life
Hastings Entertainment’s merger with a company affiliated with one of its largest shareholders has hit a snag as a judge has issued a temporary restraining order. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-06-02 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with:
#hastings entertainment
#largest shareholders
Perusing the cookbook offerings at BEA revealed upcoming titles from big names and newcomers alike, and news that "Lucky Peach" is looking at getting into cookbooks. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-06-02 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with:
#fall cookbooks
#big names
#big flavors
#lucky peach
The Reading Room, one of the fastest growing social discovery platforms for books, has reached more than one million members and just released a major platform update with a new look and feel, including a responsive design for mobile. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-05-31 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with:
#reading room
#responsive design
Yes, it's called My Independent Bookshop, but what does Penguin Random House's new site do for booksellers?I've just opened my very own bookshop at myindependentbookshop.com, the new book recommendation site from Penguin Random House. I enjoyed choosing the font for my logo (Shakespearean), the... Continue reading at The Guardian
[ The Guardian | 2014-05-26 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with:
#search engine
#5% commission
#computer programmer
#discounted price
St. Martin’s Press is teaming up with Swagbucks, the loyalty and rewards site, to launch Read, a new digital literature channel on the Swagbucks site. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-05-21 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |
Hodder Children’s Books has acquired a YA fantasy trilogy from debut author Taran Matharu.... Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2014-05-19 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with:
#hodder children
National media appearances, extensive blog tours, and live events helped land new books from trainer Bob Harper, America's Test Kitchen, and Oh She Glows blogger Angela Liddon on PW's cookbook bestsellers list for May. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-05-19 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with:
#cookbook bestsellers
#test kitchen
"Finding Me," Michelle Knight's account of the decade she spent in captivity at the hands of her kidnapper, Ariel Castro, was the top selling title on PW's nonfiction bestseller list for the week ended May 11. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-05-16 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with:
#michelle knight
#ariel castro
#week ended