Just in time for Olympic gymnastics, the BookStats industry tally of 2011 book sales shows a business in the middle of a back-flip. And in reviews, we learn about another difficult trick – how to turn Bluebeard, the notorious wife-murderer, into a romantic hero.
The not so good news, Andrew Albanese, Publishers Weekly features editor, tells CCC's Chris Kenneally, is that total book sales fell 2.5% in 2011, to $27.2 billion. The good news, however, is that unit sales actually rose by a healthy 3.4% to 2.77 billion, paced by the surging growth of trade e-books. "For all the difficulty we’re facing in the current market transition," Albanese notes, "there is greater demand for the product of reading."
In her review of the week's reviews, Rose Fox, who blogs at PW's Genreville, has some colorful news about a colorful character. In Charming Blue, author "Kristine Grayson pulls off the difficult trick of turning legendary wife-murderer Bluebeard into a romantic hero," says Fox. "The surprising premise leads to a great blend of mystery and romantic tension."
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