Nonfiction Boosts Unit Sales 2.6% in Mid-May

Gains in nonfiction in the week ended May 18, 2019, helped lift unit sales of print books 2.6% over the comparable week in 2018 at outlets that report to NPD BookScan. The 7% increase in adult nonfiction was due in part to the release of Howard Stern Comes Again by Howard Stern, which sold more than 147,000 copies in its first week. Another new release, Everything Is F*cked by Mark Manson, landed in fourth place on the category list, selling nearly 19,000 copies. Juvenile nonfiction had a 4.6% increase over the week ended May 18, 2018, as summertime educational materials started moving up the category bestseller list. Big Preschool was the top title in the category, selling nearly 6,000 copies. Various editions of Summer Bridge Activities books claimed the fourth, seventh, eighth, and ninth spots on the list, selling a total of approximately 15,500 copies. The adult fiction category made a minor contribution to the sales gains in the week. Print units increased 1.4% over 2018, due in part to weakness in the category a year ago. This year’s adult fiction top title was Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens, which sold about 38,000 copies, followed by The 18th Abduction by James Patterson and Maxine Paetro, which sold more than 19,000 copies. Last year at this time, Danielle Steel was #1 in fiction with 26,000 copies sold of The Cast, while Lee Child’s Midnight Line was second with about 15,000 copies sold. Juvenile fiction sales dropped 3.0% compared to 2018. Oh, the Places You’ll Go! by Dr. Seuss was #1 with more than 50,000 copies sold.

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