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 ]
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 ]
More news stories like this
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 ]
More news stories like this
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 ]
More news stories like this
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 ]
More news stories like this
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 ]
More news stories like this
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 ]
More news stories like this
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 ]
More news stories like this
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 ]
More news stories like this
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 ]
More news stories like this
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 ]
More news stories like this
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 ]
More news stories like this
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 ]
More news stories like this
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 ]
More news stories like this
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 ]
More news stories like this
New research from Booklist shows page counts have grown 173% over 40 years, and suggests that JK Rowling’s boy hero may be responsible for large increase in early 2000sChildren’s novels have almost doubled in length over the last 40 years, according to research from US review journal Booklist,... Continue reading at The Guardian
[ The Guardian | 2016-03-03 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this
The script from the forthcoming Harry Potter play leaps to the top of the book bestseller list, a day after its July release was announced. Continue reading at BBC News
[ BBC News | 2016-02-12 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this
Harry Potter and the Cursed Child Parts I & II will be published the day after the play begins in London, picking up the wizard’s story 19 years after the final novel in the seriesHarry Potter author JK Rowling’s script of the stage play Harry Potter and the Cursed Child is going to be... Continue reading at The Guardian
[ The Guardian | 2016-02-11 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this
Author JK Rowling has announced a new book which will follow the next generation as they set off for Hogwarts. Continue reading at The Sydney Morning Herald
[ The Sydney Morning Herald | 2016-02-11 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this
The renowned author's digital publishing house, Pottermore, has retained a monopoly on the sale of Harry Potter ebooks and audio titles ever since its launch. But times they are a-changing, and the company's strategy is undergoing seismic shifts. Continue reading at The Christian Science Monitor
[ The Christian Science Monitor | 2016-01-31 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this
The renowned author's digital publishing house, Pottermore, has retained a monopoly on the sale of Harry Potter ebooks and audio titles ever since its launch. But times they are a-changing, and the company's strategy is undergoing seismic shifts. Continue reading at The Christian Science Monitor
[ The Christian Science Monitor | 2016-01-29 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this