Bestseller Stat Shot
To the observer, it would appear that titles have been spending less time on the frontlist bestseller lists in recent years. But which of today’s titles have the kind of staying power needed to remain on the list until 2064? Could the Hunger Games or the Divergent trilogy become the next Lord of the Flies? Or will The Goldfinch be our generation’s Catcher in the Rye? Of course, it’s impossible to know, but a look through the year’s bestselling backlist titles so far shows there are plenty of books with staying power—four of the 10 top-selling backlist titles were published more than 50 years ago, and the top 25 is studded with classics (did you know S&S’s trade paper edition of Fahrenheit 451 has sold over 17,000 copies so far in 2014?). Here are the year’s top 10 selling backlist* fiction titles.
From the Newsletters
From Kubrick’s Napoleon to Spielberg’s other alien movie, Simon Braund, author of The Greatest Movies You’ll Never See (Octopus Books), on the 10 best movies that were never made.
Inside Delacorte’s plans to mark the golden anniversary of Harriet the Spy’s debut with a special 50th anniversary edition.
The big cookbooks of spring 2014.
The most-read review on publishersweekly.com last week was Cowboy Ed by Bill Grossman, illus. by Florence Wint (HarperCollins).
Blogs
Why is it okay that some editors are expected to work for free?
How the Flying Pig bookstore won back some local business that it had lost to Amazon.
A report from the Southwest Florida Romance Writers Conference.
Podcasts
A conversation with Paul Gravett, the London journalist who has built a career writing about and promoting comics and graphic novels.
Travel guru Rick Steves talks about building his Europe Through the Back Door series, from its first self-published volume in 1980 to this year’s releases.
Week Ahead
PW senior writer Andrew Albanese talks about the real economics of self-publishing.
Listen to these and other podcasts here.
Authors
Simon Schama covers 2,500 years of Jewish history in The Story of the Jews (HarperCollins)—and that’s just the first volume. We talk to him about where he began, and the unlikely turns his scholarship took.
Events
Are publishing seasons irrelevant? Join us on Feb. 26 to find out. We’re hosting a panel discussion with PW co-editorial director Jim Milliot and executives from PGW and HarperCollins.
Webcasts
Common Core 101: Understanding the Basics
On Feb. 27, PW’s Cut to the Core contributing editors Margaux DelGuidice and Rose Luna will inform and educate librarians on the basics needed to implement the Common Core standards in their classrooms and libraries. It will also assist librarians with Common Core book selection, the collection development process, and assessments.
Alan Paul discusses his new book, One Way Out: The Inside History of the Allman Brothers Band (St. Martin’s). Plus, PW reviews editor Rose Fox shares some exciting new Regency romance novels.
