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 ]
JK Rowling says she's 'thrilled' to pick up an outstanding contribution award to add to her collection of literary accolades. Continue reading at BBC News
[ BBC News | 2017-05-09 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Conservative MP Philip Davies complained to the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) that the Jhalak Prize unlawfully discriminated against white people, it has emerged. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2017-04-29 00:00:00 UTC ]
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After the Scandi noir boom, dark tales from British authors are making waves abroad. Publishers, agents and authors take up the caseWhen ex-paramedic Daniel Cole signed with agent Sue Armstrong, he was “delighted”. When Armstrong bagged him a six-figure, three-book deal from a British publisher... Continue reading at The Guardian
[ The Guardian | 2017-04-27 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Author Jussi Adler-Olsen was on a roll abroad last month, placing books in the top ten of bestseller lists in France, the Netherlands, and Germany. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2017-04-21 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Star Wars, Harry Potter or indeed the almost century-old comic book legends Batman and Superman may have sprung from a rich creative well, but in a stunning twist all of them have been banished to the box office naughty step. Continue reading at Stuff
[ Stuff | 2017-04-17 00:00:00 UTC ]
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David Walliams new children's book has been revealed as The World’s Worst Children 2. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2017-04-04 00:00:00 UTC ]
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David Walliams’ Blob (HarperCollins Children's) has held the UK Official Top 50 number one spot for a fourth week in a row, the longest run for a World Book Day title since records began. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2017-03-22 00:00:00 UTC ]
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As Frank Lampard, George Galloway and Cara Delevingne land big-money book deals, established writers look on from the fringes – or turn away altogether Another day, another celebrity announces they are to “pen” a children’s book. Already this week, Jamie Lee Curtis has announced a... Continue reading at The Guardian
[ The Guardian | 2017-03-22 00:00:00 UTC ]
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David Walliams’ Blob (HarperCollins Children's) has conquered the UK Official Top 50 number one spot for a third week running, selling 56,015 copies, according to Nielsen BookScan’s Total Consumer Market. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2017-03-15 00:00:00 UTC ]
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David Walliams has racked up the best single week of sales ever for a (single) World Book Day title, with Blob (HarperCollins Children's) soaring 449% in volume week on week to shift 103,571 copies, according to Nielsen BookScan’s Total Consumer Market. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2017-03-08 00:00:00 UTC ]
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David Walliams has splashed into the UK Official Top 50 number one spot with Blob (HarperCollins Children's), for his 23rd overall top spot and his 10th inside the last 52 weeks. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2017-03-01 00:00:00 UTC ]
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The Obamas’ $60m book deal has broken all records. From James Patterson to JK Rowling and Pope John Paul II, here are some of their closest rivals1. Seventeen books by James Patterson ($100-150m)When? 2009 Related: The audacity of hype: could Obama's presidential memoir be the greatest ever? ... Continue reading at The Guardian
[ The Guardian | 2017-03-01 00:00:00 UTC ]
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A Soho awards night with David Nicholls and a "very special" Harry Potter screening at the St. Pancras Renaissance Hotel London lead the "eclectic" line-up of this year’s London Book & Screen Week. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2017-02-18 00:00:00 UTC ]
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North London retailer the Big Green Bookshop is tweeting out every word of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone (Bloomsbury) to broadcaster Piers Morgan following his Twitter spat with its author J K Rowling. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2017-02-14 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Publishers expressed dismay, confusion and surprise at the 'New York Times' decision to eliminate some bestseller lists. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2017-01-27 00:00:00 UTC ]
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As part of its effort to revamp its coverage of publishing, the 'New York Times' has eliminated a number of bestsellers lists, among them graphic novels/manga and mass market paperback lists. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2017-01-26 00:00:00 UTC ]
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J K Rowling has praised booksellers as she and other authors, including Paula Hawkins and Joe Wicks, were honoured at the Specsavers Bestseller Awards. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2017-01-26 00:00:00 UTC ]
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In 18 months, the Instagram star’s three titles have sold more books than any other UK weight-loss title since records beganInstagrammer turned publishing sensation Joe Wicks is now the author of the UK’s biggest-selling diet books since records began.The Body Coach’s three Lean in 15 books have... Continue reading at The Guardian
[ The Guardian | 2017-01-18 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Joe Wicks has leapfrogged himself to claim the number one spot in the book chart for a third week running—this time with his debut Lean in 15 (Bluebird). Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2017-01-18 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Sales figures for the most popular modern authors round up familiar suspects from Dan Brown to JK Rowling. Taken together, they hint at surprising sales secretsSteve Berry could be forgiven for asking himself every day what it takes to make a book a global bestseller. Back in 2003, the former... Continue reading at The Guardian
[ The Guardian | 2017-01-17 00:00:00 UTC ]
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