The latest installment in E.L. James’s Fifty Shades of Grey series, Grey, hit #1 in France, Italy, and Spain last month. The novel, which tells the story depicted in James’s first three books from the point of view of the lead male character, Christian Grey, was released by Vintage on June 18, shooting to the top of U.S. bestseller lists, with Vintage reporting that the title sold more than one million copies during its first weekend on sale.
The same titles vying for the #1 spot Stateside this summer are duking it out in the international markets. In all three countries, Paula Hawkins’s The Girl on the Train came in at #2, behind Grey. Harper Lee’s Go Set a Watchman, hit #3 on Spain’s fiction list. The book, out July 14 in the U.S., set records upon its release—publisher HarperCollins reported on July 20 that with 1.1 million copies sold, the book was the fastest-selling title in the company’s history.
Turning to nonfiction, Giulia Enders hit high on the bestseller lists in both France and Spain, coming in at #1 and #2, respectively. In her book, The Discreet Charm of the Intestine, the German scientist explains, “in an entertaining way,” how “complex and wonderful our gut is,” according to the publisher. The book has not been published by an American house yet, but Canada’s Greystone Books released the title in May as Gut: The Inside Story of Our Body’s Most Underrated Organ. The book has hit #1 in some Amazon categories and has sold more than 10,000 print copies at outlets that report to Nielsen BookScan. Pope Francis’s second encyclical, Laudato Si, was the top nonfiction seller in Spain. In June, the book was #1 in France.
International Bestsellers
France
| Fiction | Nonfiction | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Grey Grey E.L. James Lattès | Le charme discret de l’intestin The Discreet Charm of the Intestine Giulia Enders Actes Sud |
| 2 | La fille du train The Girl on the Train Paula Hawkins Sonatine éditions | Prenez votre santé en main Take Charge of Your Health Frédéric Saldmann Albin Michel |
| 3 | L’instant present The Present Moment Guillaume Musso XO | Icônne Icônne Natoo Ed. Privé |
For July 20 to August 2; used by arrangement with Livres Hebdo/Ipsos.
Italy
| Combined | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Grey Grey E.L. James Mondadori | 4 | Tempi glaciali Ice Age Fred Vargas Einaudi |
| 2 | La ragazza del treno The Girl on the Train Paula Hawkins Piemme | 5 | Anime di vetro. Falene per il commissario Ricciardi Soul of Glass: Moths for the Commissioner Ricciardi Maurizio De Giovanni Einaudi |
| 3 | Laudato si’. Enciclica sulla cura della casa comune Laudato Si: On Care for Our Common Home Pope Francis San Paolo Edizioni | 6 | La ferocia The Ferocity Nicola Lagioia Einaudi |
For July 2015; used by arrangement with Informazioni Editoriali.
Spain
| Fiction | Nonfiction | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Grey Grey E.L. James Grijalbo | Laudato, Sí Laudato Si: On Care for Our Common Home Pope Francis San Pablo Editorial |
| 2 | La chica del tren The Girl on the Train Paula Hawkins Planeta | La digestión es la cuestión Gut Feeling Giulia Enders Urano |
| 3 | Ve y pon un centinela Go Set a Watchman Harper Lee HarperCollins | Economía sin corbata Economy Without Ties Yanis Varoufakis Destino |
For the week ended August 10. Used by arrangement with El Cultural
