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 ]
A pair of on-air personalities make the leap from broadcasting to the bestseller lists this week. Plus Pulitzer Prize winner Siddhartha Mukherjee returns with ‘The Gene,” Bram Stoker Award Winner Joe Hill introduces readers to ‘The Fireman,’ and much more. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2016-05-27 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Paula Hawkins has withstood a robust first week challenge from David Walliams, as The Girl on the Train (Black Swan) rolled into the Official UK Top 50 number one spot for a third consecutive week. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2016-05-25 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Sales of JK Rowling’s much-loved books jump 133%, boosted by illustrated edition, contributing to 8% profit rise at publisherHarry Potter is still working his magic for the publisher Bloomsbury after nearly 20 years, with sales more than doubling over the past year thanks to a new illustrated... Continue reading at The Guardian
[ The Guardian | 2016-05-19 00:00:00 UTC ]
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The Big Green Bookshop is to donate all profits from the sales of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child (Little, Brown) to local schools to enable them to buy books for their libraries. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2016-05-13 00:00:00 UTC ]
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British surveillance agency GCHQ intervened with the launch of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, the sixth book in J K Rowling’s Harry Potter series. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2016-04-12 00:00:00 UTC ]
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A chair that author JK Rowling sat on while writing the first two Harry Potter books is sold at a New York auction for nearly $400,000 (£283,000). Continue reading at BBC News
[ BBC News | 2016-04-07 00:00:00 UTC ]
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The opening of the Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Studios Hollywood on Thursday is likely to draw huge crowds, including adults who grew up reading the books by J.K. Rowling and teens who watched the eight movies that followed. If you plan to brave the Potterfest, here are some... Continue reading at Los Angeles Times
[ Los Angeles Times | 2016-04-07 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Chair given free to JK Rowling that she used while writing the first two Harry Potter novels in Edinburgh council flat has been auctioned in New York An oak chair that JK Rowling used while writing the first two books of the Harry Potter series has sold for $394,000 (£278,000).The 1930s chair... Continue reading at The Guardian
[ The Guardian | 2016-04-07 00:00:00 UTC ]
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The Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Studios Hollywood is about to debut. After 2 1/2 years of construction, Wizarding World is set for its grand opening Thursday morning. Leading up to that, a red carpet event tonight will include several stars from the "Harry Potter" films, and more... Continue reading at Los Angeles Times
[ Los Angeles Times | 2016-04-05 00:00:00 UTC ]
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In hero-quest terms, the recovery of the Sorcerer's Stone was Harry Potter's first big win, even though he didn't get to keep it. By the time Harry woke up after his first battle with You Know Who, the stone, with all its life-extending and gold-producing properties, had, in fact, been destroyed.... Continue reading at Los Angeles Times
[ Los Angeles Times | 2016-04-05 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Channel 4 has commissioned a TV series based on Joe Wicks’ bestselling cookery and fitness title Lean in 15 (Bluebird). Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2016-03-31 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Lee Child has claimed his 14th number one as Make Me (Bantam), the 20th Jack Reacher novel, swiped the top spot from Joe Wicks’ Lean in 15 (Bluebird). Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2016-03-31 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Joe Wicks has bounced back up the Official UK Top 50, as Lean in 15 (Bluebird) reclaimed the number one spot for a ninth non-consecutive week. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2016-03-23 00:00:00 UTC ]
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HarperCollins Children’s Books will this May publish a new book by David Walliams, entitled The World’s Worst Children. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2016-03-23 00:00:00 UTC ]
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A book of poetry by singer-songwriter Marwan has now spent over 43 weeks on the bestseller lists in Spain thanks, in part, to the star's social media following. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2016-03-21 00:00:00 UTC ]
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A number of new titles hit the top of the bestseller lists in major European markets at the end of February. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2016-03-18 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Children’s book sales in Ireland increased 16% in 2015, boosted by the popularity of authors such as David Walliams and Jeff Kinney, but booksellers and publishers in the country say strong local publishing is also on the rise. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2016-03-16 00:00:00 UTC ]
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The upcoming movie 'Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them,' based in the world of 'Harry Potter,' is set in America. Upcoming stories published on the site Pottermore will reveal more about the magical culture in the US. Continue reading at The Christian Science Monitor
[ The Christian Science Monitor | 2016-03-09 00:00:00 UTC ]
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The upcoming movie 'Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them,' based in the world of 'Harry Potter,' is set in America. Upcoming stories published on the site Pottermore will reveal more about the magical culture in the US. Continue reading at The Christian Science Monitor
[ The Christian Science Monitor | 2016-03-08 00:00:00 UTC ]
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J .K. Rowling has some good news for fans of her "Harry Potter" universe, especially ones on this side of the Atlantic. The author's website, Pottermore, will publish a four-part story this week called "History of Magic in North America." The story will provide the background for "Fantastic... Continue reading at Los Angeles Times
[ Los Angeles Times | 2016-03-07 00:00:00 UTC ]
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