I was
curious how last year’s bestselling books compared between Australia, the US
and the UK, so I had a look.
curious how last year’s bestselling books compared between Australia, the US
and the UK, so I had a look.
Australia
The top
ten bestselling print books in Australia were:
ten bestselling print books in Australia were:
1. Hard
Luck: Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Jeff Kinney (228,400)
Luck: Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Jeff Kinney (228,400)
2. Jamie’s
15-Minute Meals, Jamie Oliver (173,800)
15-Minute Meals, Jamie Oliver (173,800)
3.
Inferno, Dan Brown (173,400)
Inferno, Dan Brown (173,400)
4. Save
with Jamie, Jamie Oliver (157,300)
with Jamie, Jamie Oliver (157,300)
5. The
39-Storey Treehouse, Andy Griffiths and Terry Denton (136,200)
39-Storey Treehouse, Andy Griffiths and Terry Denton (136,200)
6. The
Tournament, Mathew Reilly (114,400)
Tournament, Mathew Reilly (114,400)
7.
Guinness World Records 2014 (97,300)
Guinness World Records 2014 (97,300)
8. I Quit
Sugar, Sarah Wilson (92,400)
Sugar, Sarah Wilson (92,400)
9. Ponting:
At the Close of Play, Ricky Ponting (89,100)
At the Close of Play, Ricky Ponting (89,100)
10. The
Storyteller, Jodi Picoult (88,600)
Storyteller, Jodi Picoult (88,600)
Source: Nielson
BookScan
BookScan
So the top
ten in Australia was made up of two cookbooks, two young adult novels, two
mystery/thrillers, an issues novel, a sports biography, a health book, and a
records book.
ten in Australia was made up of two cookbooks, two young adult novels, two
mystery/thrillers, an issues novel, a sports biography, a health book, and a
records book.
Four books
authored by Australians made it into the top ten, with the best-selling Aussie
authored book being The 39-Storey
Treehouse.
authored by Australians made it into the top ten, with the best-selling Aussie
authored book being The 39-Storey
Treehouse.
Only three
adult fiction novels made the top ten. One of them, The Tournament, by Mathew Reilly, may disappoint its buyers by not
being his usual techno-thriller, but a murder mystery set in 1546.
adult fiction novels made the top ten. One of them, The Tournament, by Mathew Reilly, may disappoint its buyers by not
being his usual techno-thriller, but a murder mystery set in 1546.
As there
is no science-fiction on the list, perhaps I should consider a editing a
healthy cookbook for teenagers with recipes from cricketers.
is no science-fiction on the list, perhaps I should consider a editing a
healthy cookbook for teenagers with recipes from cricketers.
United
States
The top
ten bestsellers in the US were:
ten bestsellers in the US were:
1. Hard
Luck: Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Jeff Kinney
Luck: Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Jeff Kinney
2.
Inferno, Dan Brown
Inferno, Dan Brown
3. Killing
Jesus, Bill O’Reilly and Martin Dugard
Jesus, Bill O’Reilly and Martin Dugard
4. Proof
of Heaven, Eben Alexander
of Heaven, Eben Alexander
5. The
House of Hades: Heroes of Olympus, Rick Riordan
House of Hades: Heroes of Olympus, Rick Riordan
6.
Divergent, Veronica Roth
Divergent, Veronica Roth
7. Jesus
Calling, Sarah Young
Calling, Sarah Young
8.
Sycamore Row, John Grisham
Sycamore Row, John Grisham
9. The
Third Wheel: Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Jeff Kinney
Third Wheel: Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Jeff Kinney
10. Happy,
Happy, Happy, by Phil Robertson.
Happy, Happy, by Phil Robertson.
Source: http://aerogrammestudio.com/2014/01/13/americas-bestselling-books-2013s-top-10-list/ From
the Age
the Age
Four young
adult novels, three religious books, two thriller/mystery novels, and an
autobiography. Two books that were in the Australian top ten, Hard Luck and Inferno, also made the US top ten. There are only two adult fiction
novels. At least there is one science-fiction/fantasy young adult novel on this
list, Divergent. All of the books are
written by Americans.
Americans
appear to be turning to religion, while Aussies turn to food. So if I was
writing for the American market I would have to join the thousands trying to
imitate Dan Brown and write a religious thriller.
appear to be turning to religion, while Aussies turn to food. So if I was
writing for the American market I would have to join the thousands trying to
imitate Dan Brown and write a religious thriller.
UK
The top
ten print bestsellers in the UK were:
ten print bestsellers in the UK were:
1. My
Autobiography, Alex Ferguson (647,153)
Autobiography, Alex Ferguson (647,153)
2.
Inferno, Dan Brown (626,650)
Inferno, Dan Brown (626,650)
3. Gone
Girl, Gillian Flynn (607,359)
Girl, Gillian Flynn (607,359)
4. The
Fast Diet, M Spencer and M Mosley (494,266)
Fast Diet, M Spencer and M Mosley (494,266)
5. Hard
Luck: Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Jeff Kinney (348,367)
Luck: Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Jeff Kinney (348,367)
6. Guinness
World Records 2014 (347,834)
World Records 2014 (347,834)
7. Demon
Dentist, David Walliams (344,285)
Dentist, David Walliams (344,285)
8. How to
Love Food and Lose Weight, Dave Myers and Si King (318,660)
Love Food and Lose Weight, Dave Myers and Si King (318,660)
9. The
Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry, Rachel Joyce (315,408)
Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry, Rachel Joyce (315,408)
10. David
Jason: My Life, David Jason (296,472)
Jason: My Life, David Jason (296,472)
Source: The
Guardian from Nielson BookScan.
Guardian from Nielson BookScan.
Two young
adult comedy novels, two biographies, two thrillers, two diet books, a records
book and one attempt at serious literature (Gone
Girl). No science-fiction. Hard Luck
and Inferno both make an appearance
again. There are only three adult fiction novels. Seven of the books on the UK
list were written by UK authors.
Australian
readers appear to have more in common with the Brits as three books appear on
both lists, with only two of the same books on both the US and Australian
lists. And, like the British, Australians appear to be more interested in food
than religion.
readers appear to have more in common with the Brits as three books appear on
both lists, with only two of the same books on both the US and Australian
lists. And, like the British, Australians appear to be more interested in food
than religion.
My young adult
recipe book might do okay in the UK if it had recipes from soccer celebrities
rather than their losing cricketers.
recipe book might do okay in the UK if it had recipes from soccer celebrities
rather than their losing cricketers.
I have not
read or bought any of the books listed, with Divergent, by Veronica Roth being the only one that arouses any
interest.
read or bought any of the books listed, with Divergent, by Veronica Roth being the only one that arouses any
interest.
5 Responses
All three seem to think thrillers are the best kind of genre reading, don't they? I quite like the odd thriller, but generally I'd prefer a good fantasy!
Who reads this stuff? Non readers?
I just dont get it. Dont think I'll ever get into any sort of list. Hell, I wouldn't bother reading most of those let along attempting to join their ranks.
Ah the masses – what can you do?
Satima, perhaps fantasy writers should be writing more fantasy thrillers like American Gods.
From what I have seen, KILLING JESUS is not a religious book. Leaving aside that Bill O'Reilly is a right-wing TV pundit, it is part of a series written as thrillers, about the deaths of prominent people.
Hi Robin, Killing Jesus is, from what I can tell, an (fictionalised?) account of the life and death of Jesus, so in my opinion, and probably that of many, it would classify as a religous book, even if it is probably just an excuse to push the right wing agenda of its authors.