Amazon is celebrating ten years of online retailing this year, and as such, Amazon.co.uk has released a list of the top-selling books over this period. The Bookseller reports that the two top spots for the UK branch of the retailer are held by books from author J.K. Rowling: Number one goes to Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, followed at number two by Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. Furthermore, the website reports the "top ten is entirely comprised of titles that were published during the past five years." The list is as follows:
Harry Potter and the Half-blood Prince - J K Rowling (Bloomsbury)
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - J K Rowling (Bloomsbury)
The Dangerous Book for Boys - Conn and Hal Iggulden (HarperCollins)
QI:The Book of General Ignorance - John Lloyd and John Mitchinson (Faber)
The Kite Runner - Khaled Hosseini (Bloomsbury)
The Time Traveler's Wife - Audrey Niffenegger (Vintage)
Does Anything Eat Wasps?: And 101 Other Questions - Mick O'Hare (Profile)
Why Don't Penguins' Feet Freeze?: And 114 Other Questions - Mick O'Hare (Profile)
UPDATE:Thanks to Pruneau for pointing out that Amazon.co.uk also lists the Harry Potter and the Prisoner of AzkabanDVD as the number one selling DVD of the past ten years, with GoF coming in at number four.
Weird, I thought it would be the other way around…didn’t Deathly Hallows smash all preorder and first-day sales records? I guess HBP has been out two years longer…
Da Vinci code is enjoyable popcorn fiction but I agree its publicity propelled its sales further than it may have deserved but
DH has only been released just over a year whereas HBP was selling for 3 years hence why DH is second, I guess. I find it strange that GOB is not in the top 10 because that was the first book released during Amazon’s life and was the first very big party release.
Posted by Professor Potter on October 07, 2008, 01:47 PM
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I think DH’s ranking illustrates not only the difference in length of time in release from HBP but just how many people went to independent or chain book sellers for the release parties as opposed to ordering it online. The Da Vinci Code while highly overated was on New York Times Best Seller list for 3 years in hard cover – I was actually surprised it was so low . I can’t believe the Dangerous Book for Boys actually made the list and was so high – its only been out just over a year now.
That’s cool, though I still vote for Deathly Hallows, as a book, it had an amazing pace that HBP lacked..but yes, it’s been out two years longer.
Oh, and Kite Runner’s good too. :D But, no Philosopher’s Stone?
HBP, the book, is probably still selling well because the movie has not been released yet. DH is selling well to those who want to know the rest of the story.
As to “The DaVinci Code”, I found it a delightful page-turner along with the previous book “Angels & Demons”. Just remember, these books are fiction. Some of it is factual, some of it is fiction. It still makes a good read, but do not take it all as gospel.
Not surprised that two Harry Potter books top the list. I’ve finally got my 8 year old son to start reading the books, and he can’t put it down – literally. This morning I had to practically drag him out the door to school. Next step – 7 yr. old daughter.
As to “The DaVinci Code” – I’m with Phoenix 1946 – I really enjoyed that book along with “Angels & Demons.” It gets me that people call it “utter nonsence” – it’s fiction. Because some have taken it more to heart is not Dan Brown’s fault. That would be like dismissing Harry Potter because of the nonsence that there are Wizards and Witches and Magic. Sure, Dan Brown based alot of the plot lines on research and beliefs about relgious history – but he doesn’t insist that it’s fact. Remember, some of J.K. Rowling’s spells, etc. were based on research of past events and myths too.
I don’t think all the complaints about Da Vinci stem from the nonsense and the blurring of fact and fiction. I think it’s because people don’t find him a very good writer. I have listened to audio recordings of both “Angels” and “Da Vinci” and found them somewhat entertaining in a fast-food sort of way, although ultimately came away from both feeling underwhelmed. I liked the Ron Howard movie, though.
Actually, the thing that I didn’t like about Da Vinci’s mixing of fact and fiction was Brown’s introduction to the book, which (in a masterpiece of misleading advertisement) makes it sound like most of the book is based on fact, when in fact most of it is fiction masquerading as fact. Again, I’m not talking about the religious issues (about which I could care less about), but the fact that he takes crackpot theories that almost all academics dismiss, and puts them in the mouth of an academic, Robert Langdon, making them sound like they’re mainstream. I thought the movie made a good change in having Langdon be more of a skeptic, acting as a foil to Teigh’s ravings.
Yeah, I’ll probably see “Angels” when it gets filmed. Especially if they can film at CERN. (In fact, make the whole movie about CERN, Ron Howard, that would suit me fine.)
Well, obviously someone finds Dan Brown to be a good writer if he’s among the top selling books of the past 10 years. And the movie was nowhere near as good as the book – but I will definately still see Angels and Demons (I just hated Tom Hanks as Robert Langdon, even though I do like him very much as an actor).
He he, this is turning into a bash/defend board for Da Vinci Code! I thoroughly enjoyed Da Vinci code too and appreciate a fair amount of research went into it. I said earlier that its publicity may have got it higher sales than it deserve but I think I take that back now. Its far from the best of literature but it is high on entertainment value and yes, a little controversy. Actually I think Angels and Demons was even better.
And Wow, there is an update on this article that POA movie is the top selling DVD in last ten years. That is a BIG DEAL! I mean think of all of the great movies released in ten years, POA beat them! And GOF is at 4! I wonder if its because JO Rowling was featured on POA DVD?
Posted by Professor Potter on October 07, 2008, 04:58 PM
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Oh yay. Congrats to HP! :)