Not all the news in publishing happens at home. The markets abroad—as close as our director neighbors, Canada and Mexico, and as far away as Australia and China—remain vital to U.S. publishers, who depend on them for fresh books to acquire for the increasingly multilingual American readership as well as for export sales growth. Three of the U.S.’s Big Five publishers are foreign-owned, after all, and what happens in France and Germany doesn't always stay there. Here are 10 of PW’s most impactful stories on the international book business in 2024.
10. French Indie Booksellers Proliferate, Despite Challenges
Despite inflation and reduced profitability putting pressure on France’s vaunted independent bookselling sector, nearly 600 new bookshops have opened across the country in the past five years. Over half of these establishments are located in villages and small towns of less than 20,000 inhabitants.
9. Australia's Booktopia Saved by Unlikely Hero
Online sales helped save the book business during the pandemic. In Australia, Booktopia, the dominant Australian online bookseller, saw sales surge, went public, and then started an unsustainable expansion of their business that left them bankrupt. They found salvation through acquisition by Australian camera retailer DigiDirect, a chain with seven locations across the country. The new ownership has promised to expand the company’s services and enhance its offerings.
8. Sweden's Nuanxed Promises AI Book Translations, and Some Push Back
AI is posed to have a massive impact on publishing. One area already affected is translation. Stockholm-based Nuanxed is at the forefront of AI-assisted translation for text and audio, promising a cost-effective and speedy service for publishers to bring books to market. The service has met with resistance, however, especially from literary translators concerned about job security.
7. Germany Faces Challenges as Weltbild Closes Remaining Bookstores
Weltbild, which once boasted 300 bookstores and 6,400 employees at its 2011 peak, closed its remaining 14 stores and laid off approximately 440 employees this year. Its online assets and Tolino brand e-readers were subsequently acquired by rival bookstore chain Thalia. Germany also saw the closure of Buchreport and BuchMarkt, two of the country's three trade magazines, this year.
6. Canadian Publishing Stabilizes in 2024
Book sales in Canada have largely rebounded after a pandemic slump, reaching C$1.1 billion in 2023, up from C$998 million in 2022, according to Statistics Canada and BookNet Canada. Indigo, the country's largest retailer, was privatized this year, and has promised a return to focusing on books, giving many in the industry hope for better times ahead.
5. Ingram Sees Serious Opportunities in Spanish
Interest in Spanish-language books is booming in the U.S., and Ingram is looking to capitalize on the opportunity. With more than 375,000 Spanish titles in its catalog, Ingram views the market, both in the U.S. and Latin America, as an engine for growth. The company already sells nearly two million Spanish-language books annually, with approximately 30% of those sales occurring outside the U.S.
4. IPA Congress Warns of Risks of Continued Russian Aggression
Russia's invasion of Ukraine has left a wake of destruction. Dozens of notable authors and others in the publishing industry have been killed and, early in 2024, the Factor Druk printing plant in Kharkiv was destroyed, killing seven people. At the International Publishers Association Congress in Guadalajara, Mexico, in December, Ukrainian Nobel Peace Prize laureate Oleksandra Matviichuk and incoming IPA president Gvantsa Jobava of Georgia delivered powerful speeches reminding the world that if their countries’ democracies fall under Putin's influence, others may follow.
3. International Audiobook Publishers Anticipate More Growth Ahead
Double-digit growth in audiobook sales extends beyond the U.S. In Sweden, audiobooks now account for approximately 35% of publishers' revenues, with 64% of units sold being audiobooks. Nearly half of Germans listened to audiobooks, podcasts, or audio dramas in the past year, while Audible has grown its audience significantly in markets as diverse as Brazil and Japan. Spotify extended its audiobook services beyond the English-speaking countries to France and the Benelux countries. And in China, the audiobook market grew to $1.5 billion in 2023, with Chinese consumers averaging 8.8 audiobooks annually, surpassing U.S. figures.
2. Publishers and Authors Rally in Support of Palestine
Israel’s military response to the October 7, 2023, attack by Hamas has left Gaza in ruins with tens of thousands killed, while Israel continues to try and free the approximately 100 remaining hostages. With death and destruction continuing in the region, publishers and authors around the world have called for a ceasefire, demanding that a wide variety of organizations, from book fairs to book awards, cut ties with Israel. With violence having spilled over into Lebanon, disrupting a key center of publishing in the region, the global book business continues to hope for an expeditious end to the fighting in 2025.
1. English-language Book Sales Boom Across Europe
English-language book sales are surging across European countries, bringing in more than $5 billion annually and showing double-digit growth in such key markets as Germany and Spain. The trend, driven by social media and particularly TikTok influencers, threatens to cannibalize sales in local languages, and is prompting some publishers to rethink their strategies, with some opting to purchase rights and publish directly in English.
