Cosy crime, cookbooks and a surprise hit: what we’ve really read in the pandemic

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 ]

Other news stories related to: "Cosy crime, cookbooks and a surprise hit: what we’ve really read in the pandemic"


Walliams scores hat-trick with World’s Worst Teachers

David Walliams’ The World’s Worst Teachers (HarperCollins) has scored the UK Official Top 50 number one spot for a third week running, selling 49,020 copies last week to soar past the 200,000-copies-sold mark. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2019-07-16 08:16:35 UTC ]
More news stories like this


Summer reading: dive into the perfect book

As publishers vie to persuade us to pack their titles for the holidays, we chart the evolution of the ’beach read’Summer reads, beach reads, holiday reads … at this time of year, the publishing world works itself into a sweat trying to force its novels into our carry-on luggage, or over the... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2019-07-14 07:00:23 UTC ]
More news stories like this


Gain a bird’s-eye view of America with these July audiobooks

Audiobook selections for July cover a swath of the American landscape, from a western river to Louisiana’s gumbo belt. Relax and take it all in. Continue reading at The Christian Science Monitor

[ The Christian Science Monitor | 2019-07-12 10:58:54 UTC ]
More news stories like this


Gain a bird’s-eye view of America with these July audiobooks

Audiobook selections for July cover a swath of the American landscape, from a western river to Louisiana’s gumbo belt. Relax and take it all in. Continue reading at The Christian Science Monitor

[ The Christian Science Monitor | 2019-07-12 10:58:54 UTC ]
More news stories like this


Gain a bird’s-eye view of America with these July audiobooks

Audiobook selections for July cover a swath of the American landscape, from a western river to Louisiana’s gumbo belt. Relax and take it all in. Continue reading at The Christian Science Monitor

[ The Christian Science Monitor | 2019-07-12 10:58:54 UTC ]
More news stories like this


Quiz: Which Marauder from Harry Potter Are You?

After Harry, Ron, and Hermione, the most famous friendship from Hogwarts is certainly the four Marauders. Take this Harry Potter ... Continue reading at Book Riot

[ Book Riot | 2019-07-12 10:38:28 UTC ]
More news stories like this


Gain a bird’s-eye view of America with these July audiobooks

Audiobook selections for July cover a swath of the American landscape, from a western river to Louisiana’s gumbo belt. Relax and take it all in. Continue reading at The Christian Science Monitor

[ The Christian Science Monitor | 2019-07-12 09:38:10 UTC ]
More news stories like this


David Walliams narrates Judith Kerr's final book

David Walliams has narrated the audiobook of The Curse of the School Rabbit (HarperCollins), written and illustrated by Judith Kerr. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2019-07-10 12:22:15 UTC ]
More news stories like this


Condé Nast Pulls Investment from FarFetch Over Management Concerns| Industry Notes

Condé Nast Pulls Investment From FarFetch [caption id="attachment_161701" align="alignright" width="150"] José Neves[/caption] Condé Nast pulled its nearly $300 million investment in the London-based luxury fashion retail marketplace FarFetch, following concerns about the management of the... Continue reading at Folio Magazine

[ Folio Magazine | 2019-07-09 18:18:07 UTC ]
More news stories like this


Walliams strikes twice with World's Worst Teachers

David Walliams’ The World’s Worst Teachers (HarperCollins) has held the UK Official Top 50 number one, selling 77,247 copies sold in its first full week on sale. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2019-07-09 08:06:52 UTC ]
More news stories like this


Diana Evans scoops South Bank Sky Arts literature prize

Diana Evans has won the South Bank Sky Arts Award for her book Ordinary People (Chatto & Windus). Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2019-07-08 04:24:03 UTC ]
More news stories like this


Paul McCartney to narrate Hey Grandude! audiobook

Paul McCartney will narrate the audiobook edition of his upcoming picture book, Hey Grandude! (Puffin), which is inspired by his experiences of being a grandfather. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2019-07-04 02:57:43 UTC ]
More news stories like this


The Perfect Fragrances for Harry Potter Characters

Your favorite Harry Potter characters got matched up with a perfect-for-them fragrance. Continue reading at Book Riot

[ Book Riot | 2019-07-03 10:34:16 UTC ]
More news stories like this


Harry Potter Prequel Series Coming to Television

Warner Brothers is in the very early stages of developing a Harry Potter prequel television series. Find out what we know so far. Continue reading at Book Riot

[ Book Riot | 2019-07-02 18:58:30 UTC ]
More news stories like this


Walliams tops the charts with World’s Worst Teachers

David Walliams’ The World’s Worst Teachers (HarperCollins), illustrated by Tony Ross, has chalked up the duo’s 46th week in the UK Official Top 50 number one spot, selling 86,001 copies for £623,821 in its first three days on sale. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2019-07-02 01:35:24 UTC ]
More news stories like this


Shifting Audiobook Habits for Mindfulness

A reader comes to terms with the role audiobooks play in her ability to be more mindful for the sake of her mental health, and considers reading life solutions. Continue reading at Book Riot

[ Book Riot | 2019-07-01 10:41:46 UTC ]
More news stories like this


'Harry Potter: Wizards Unite' Isn’t the Next 'Pokémon Go.' Good

'Wizards Unite' is bloated and overly complex—but at least it's something different. Continue reading at Wired

[ Wired | 2019-06-25 11:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this


The Morning After: iPadOS is the upgrade Apple's tablet needs

Hey, good morning! You look fabulous. Hey, there! Bill Gates regrets that he didn't beat Android in mobile, we give our mixed verdict on the new Harry Potter mobile game and review Apple's new iPad OS. Continue reading at Engadget

[ Engadget | 2019-06-25 10:30:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this


A weekend with 'Harry Potter: Wizards Unite'

Mat Smith and Dan Cooper grew up in the UK at the right age to witness the birth of Pottermania. The Harry Potter novels are firmly encoded in their very British psyches, and both are fans of augmented reality, GPS-connected mobile games. So it made... Continue reading at Engadget

[ Engadget | 2019-06-24 17:28:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this