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Top 20 Bestselling Books in the UK - week ending 7 June

I haven't done this for a while...

1. Faces -- Martina Cole
2. The Forgotten Garden -- Kate Morton
3. Devil May Care -- Sebastian Faulks
4. Sepulchre -- Kate Mosse
5. Death Message -- Marl Billingham
6. Playing for Pizza -- John Grisham
7. Chasing Harry Winston -- Laura Weisberger
8. Step on a Crack -- J. Patterson; M. Ledwidge
9. Clean Cut -- Lynda La Plante
10. Crossfire -- Andy McNab
11. Bones to Ashes -- Kathy Reichs
12. Book of the Dead -- Patricia Cornwell
13. The Dark Tide -- Andrew Gross
14. Bad Behaviour -- Sheila O'Flanagan
15. The Woman in the Fifth -- Douglas Kennedy
16. On the Edge -- Richard Hammond
17. Sniper One -- Dan Mills
18. Strike Back -- Chris Ryan
19. Dead Heat -- D. Francis; F. Francis
20. Overheard in a Dream -- Torey L. Hayden

Same old, same old, really.

UK Top 20 Bestselling Books - week ending 19 April

I haven't posted the Top 20 books for a while, so here goes with last week's fiction-heavy list:

1. Book of the Dead -- Patricia Cornwell
2. Nineteen Minutes -- Jodi Picoult
3. How to Cheat at Cooking -- Delia Smith
4. Friend of the Devil -- Peter Robinson
5. The Quest -- Wilbur Smith
6. A Thousand Splendid Suns -- Khaled Hosseini
7. An Absolute Scandal -- Penny Vincenzi
8. Enchanted: The Book of the Film -- Disney
9. Skin Privilege -- Karin Slaughter
10. 31 Dream Street --Lisa Jewell
11. Engleby -- Sebastian Faulks
12. Shakespeare -- Bill Bryson
13. Thanks for the Memories -- Cecilia Ahern
14. The Children of Hurin -- JRR Tolkein
15. The Last Empress -- Anchee Min
16. Slam -- Nick Hornby
17. Bad Luck and Trouble --Lee Child
18. The Proms Guide 2008
19. Call the Midwife -- Jennifer Worth
20. The Gathering -- Anne Enright

My, we do like our crime and our chick lit, don't we? And The Proms, which is fair enough. We're starting to get into the "holiday reading" time, so I imagine the 3 for 2s will be going great guns in bookshops across the land.

Speaking of holidays, I have a whole two weeks booked off work, starting in a couple of weeks. Bliss. Not going away anywhere as such, but we are instead planning the odd overnight stop in a few places of interest around Britain, and a few day trips. Stone Henge. Cathedrals. Interesting places. I want to spend a day at the seaside. Roll up my trouser legs and go paddling, eat a Mister Softee 99, get sand in my toes, that sort of thing. Might even put a knotted hanky on my head and buy and bucket and spade.  But best of all, think of all the pure, unadulterated reading time. I'm cracking on with Vanity Fair, and also greatly enjoying Hearts and Minds by Rosy Thornton at the moment. I'm trying to make it last because it's a book I could easily tear through, but I don't want to gorge myself.

Roll on the holidays!

UK Top 20 Bestselling Books - week ending 15 March

Haven't done a Top 20 for a few weeks, largely because the list doesn't change too rapidly. However, the time has come for a bit of an update. Here goes with the UK Top 20 bestselling books for the week ending 15 March.

1. Delia's How to Cheat at Cooking -- Delia Smith
2. Bad Luck and Trouble -- Lee Child
3. Captain Underpants and the Attack of the Talking Toilets -- Dav Pilkey (An official World Book Day title - hurrah for Captain Underpants!)
4. Where's Wally?  -- Martin Handford (Another £1 World Book Day - WBD - book)
5. The Fancy Dress Party -- Janey Louise Jones (WBD)
6. Paddington Rules the Waves -- Michael Bond (WBD)
7. Adventure According to Humphrey -- Betty G. Birney (WBD)
8. A Very Special Friend (Magic Kitten) -- Sue Bentley (WBD)
9. Body Surfing -- Anita Shreve
10. Dark Sun -- Robert Muchamore (WBD)
11. Odd and the Frost Giants -- Neil Gaiman (WBD)
12. Two Caravans -- Marina Lewycka
13. A Thousand Splendid Suns -- Khaled Hosseini
14. Jane Blond, the Perfect Spylet -- Jill Marshall (WBD)
15. My Sister Jodie -- Jacqueline Wilson
16. The Other Boleyn Girl -- Phillipa Gregory (The film is out after all)
17. Sisters -- Danielle Steel
18. Beneath the Bleeding -- Val McDermid
19. Blood River -- Tim Butcher
20. Notes from an Exhibition -- Patrick Gale

Every year for World Book Day, the organizers arrange for there to be a selection of short children's books to be on sale for £1 - which is why the Top 20 is mostly children's books this week. I imagine they'll drop down fairly quickly, and we'll be back to the usual fare of Delia, Richard & Judy and crime galore.

UK Top 20 Bestselling Books - week ending 23 Feb

Just realised that I haven't posted a book chart recently, so have decided to rectify this immediately. Here goes with the chart for the week ending 23 February 08.

1. How to Cheat at Cooking -- Delia Smith (Unsurprisingly, given the hype)
2. Jordan: Pushed the Limit -- Katie Price (Jordan's third autobiography. Some might suggest that it is the reading public who have been pushed to the limit)
3. A Thousand Splendid Suns -- Khaled Hosseini (Still floating around the top of the charts)
4. The 6th Target -- James Patterson (And it's about his 6th book this year)
5. The Good Husband of Zebra Drive -- Alexander McCall Smith (The latest from the No 1 Ladies Detective Agency)
6. Sisters -- Danielle Steel
7. Notes from an Exhibition -- Patrick Gale (Richard & Judy pick)
8. The Secret Life of a Slummy Mummy -- Fiona Neill (Grrrrrr.....)
9. The Visible World -- Mark Slouka (Another Richard & Judy pick)
10. Then We Came to the End -- Joshua Ferris (ANOTHER Richard & Judy pick)
11. The Kite Runner -- Khaled Hosseini
12. The Woods -- Harlan Coben (American crime fiction)
13. Brethren Trilogy: Crusade -- Robyn Young (Big, epic, adventure sequel)
14. Jamie At Home -- Jamie Oliver (Still there...)
15. The Chocolate Run  -- Dorothy Koomson (My inner feminist is massively insulted by the tagline to this novel: "Who needs love when you have chocolate?". Just HOW MANY stereotypes are you going for in one sitting?)
16. On Chesil Beach -- Ian McEwan
17. Remember Me -- Sophie Kinsella (I'd rather not, if it's all the same to you)
18. The Shakespeare Secret -- J.L. Carrell
19. Not Without My Sister -- Jones, Jones & Buhring (Misery Memoir)
20. Random Acts of Heroic Love -- Danny Scheinmann (Richard & Judy pick #42786)

UK Top 20 Bestselling Books - Week Ending Jan 26

Due to my unforeseen disappearance last week, I didn't get around to posting last week's bestseller chart. Here's the latest one. Let's face it, it's not going to be wildly different, is it?

1. A Thousand Splendid Suns -- Khaled Hosseini
2. On Chesil Beach -- Ian McEwan
3. The Kite Runner -- Khaled Hosseini
4. Faith -- Lesley Pearse
5. The Shakespeare Secret -- JL Carrell
6. Random Acts of Heroic Love -- Danny Scheinmann
7. The Rose of Sebastopol -- Katherine McMahon
8. The Woods -- Harlan Coben
9. Severed -- Simon Kernick
10. PS, I Love You -- Cecilia Aherne
11. The Book Thief -- Markus Zusak
12. The Innocent Man -- John Grisham
13. Notes from an Exhibition -- Patrick Gale
14. The Unquiet -- John Connolly
15. A Quiet Belief in Angels -- RJ Ellory
16. The Secret Life of a Slummy Mummy -- Fiona Neill (fantastic. another bloody stereotype.)
17. Shopaholic and Baby -- Sophie Kinsella (*Kirsty Explodes*)
18. Atonement -- Ian McEwan
19. The Good Guy -- Dean Koontz
20. Gone to Ground -- John Harvey

UK Top 20 Books - Week Ending 12 Jan 08

Here's the low down on last week's literary movers and shakers...

1. A Thousand Splendid Suns -- Khaled Hosseini
2. On Chesil Beach -- Ian McEwan
3. The Kite Runner -- Khaled Hosseini (film tie-in edition)
4. Random Heroic Acts of Love -- Danny Scheinmann
5. The Good Guy -- Dean Koontz
6. PS, I Love You -- Cecilia Aherne (film tie-in edition)
7. The Book Thief -- Markus Zusak
8. The Innocent Man -- John Grisham
9. The Shakespeare Secret -- JL Carrell
10. Shopaholic and Baby -- Sophie Kinsella (I have so many feminist objections I can't tell you)
11. Faith -- Lesley Pearse (pastel covers a-go-go)
12. 7th Heaven -- James Patterson (my god, he brings out a book every second day)
13. My Booky Wook -- Russell Brand (oh, shutty up)
14. If I am Missing or Dead -- Janine Latus
15. The Unquiet -- John Connolly
16. Severed -- Simon Kernick
17. The Leaving of Liverpool -- Maureen Lee
18. Not Dead Enough -- Peter James (Is it really juvenile that this title makes me laugh?)
19. The Rose of Sebastopol -- Katherine McMahon
20. Lords of the Bow -- Conn Igguldon

UK Top 20 Bestselling Books - Week Ending 5 Jan 08

Roll up, roll up, ladies and gents, it's the first Top 20 of 2008! Let's see what all those post-Christmas sales have been doing to the chart...

1. On Chesil Beach -- Ian McEwan (It's the paperback! Suspect this might be around for a while...)
2. The Kite Runner -- Khaled Hosseini (The film tie-in edition)
3. A Thousand Splendid Suns -- Khaled Hosseini (Richard & Judy Book Club choice that week)
4. The Good Guy -- Dean Koontz (American horror)
5. My Booky Wook -- Russell Brand
6. The Innocent Man -- John Grisham
7. Shopaholic and Baby -- Sophie Kinsella (Because all women care about is shopping and procreating, plainly)
8. The Book Thief -- Markus Zusak (Have been receiving a lot of attention recently)
9. PS, I Love You -- Cecilia Aherne (The film tie-in edition)
10. Not Dead Enough -- Peter James
11. Random Acts of Heroic Love -- Danny Scheinmann (Just looked it up on Amazon. Apparently it's a "heartbreaking epic story of two lives sustained by the memory of love".)
12. If I am Missing or Dead -- Janine Latus (misery memoir)
13. I Can Make You Thin -- Paul McKenna (go on then)
14. The Leaving of Liverpool -- Maureen Lee (Aga Saga! My mum would love it)
15. Nigella Express -- Nigella Lawson
16. The Golden Compass -- Philip Pullman (The film tie-in edition)
17. Lords of the Bow -- Conn Igguldon (Adventurey stuff. One of my dad's favourites.)
18. On the Edge -- Richard Hammond
19. GI Hip and Thigh -- Rosemary Conley (New Years Resolutions abound!)
20. Atonement -- Ian McEwan (The film tie-in edition)

Bestselling Books of 2007

Right, this week I am really, honestly getting back into blogging proper. After two weeks of being all over the place, this week is finally settling into some kind of normality. For one thing, I'm back at work. And, oh, it's like I've never been away.

So, let's kick things off with some Bestsellers, shall we? Here are the overall Top 20 Bestselling Books of 2007:

1. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows -- JK Rowling (Of course)
2. The Interpretation of Murder -- Jed Rubenfeld (Literary crime thriller type, comforting to see so far up the chart, most likely thanks to Mr Madeley and Ms Finnegan)
3. The Memory Keeper's Daughter -- Kim Edwards (More R&J fare)
4. Nigella Express -- Nigella Lawson (Unsurprising.)
5. Anybody Out There -- Marian Keyes (I can't stand her books. But my mum loves them.)
6. Guinness World Records 2008 (Does anyone know if stock did run out in the end?)
7. The House at Riverton -- Kate Morton (More R&J)
8. On the Edge -- Richard Hammond (Car crash. People really just want to know about the car crash. Hello. I am Ms Cynical.)
9. A Spot of Bother -- Mark Haddon (I bought this in hardback at the end of 2006, but still haven't got around to reading it.)
10. Jamie at Home - Jamie Oliver (I haven't the energy to think of anything witty about him now.)
11. The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid -- Bill Bryson (Being generally A Bryson Fan, I'd like to read this.)
12. My Booky Wook -- Russell Brand (Sex and drugs and irritating turns of phrase.)
13. Atonement -- Ian McEwan
14. Half of a Yellow Sun -- Chimamanda Adichie (Orange Prize winner for 2007)
15. Don't Stop Me Now -- Jeremy Clarkson (I wouldn't dare.)
16. The God Delusion -- Richard Dawkins (Hurrah!!)
17. The Sound of Laughter -- Peter Kay (*sob*)
18. The Innocent Man -- John Grisham (Despite the book only being released a couple of weeks before Christmas)
19. Suite Francaise -- Irene Nemirovsky (Can't decide whether I want to read this or not)
20. Relentless -- Simon Kernick (I know absolutely nothing about this book.)

So there you have it. I'm pleasantly surprised by quite a bit of it actually. There is no Jordan, or Katona, or Beckham, or Coleen. Only a few TV/film tie ins. Though R&J have a lot to answer for.

Here's to 2008! Hurrah!

Top 20 Bestselling Books, week ending December 1

I meant to blog yesterday, I honestly did. But having been in a meeting from 9am until 5.15pm, only to go straight out to London in my party shoes (oh, the pain) meant that I wasn't anywhere near a computer until close to midnight last night. By then, frankly, I'd had too much free wine to even consider blogging. So, sorry about that.

So, without further ado, here's the Bestselling Books of last week.

1. Guinness World Records 2008 (Apparently not quite out of stock, then.)
2. Nigella Express -- Nigella Lawson
3. My Booky Wook -- Russell Brand
4. Don't Stop Me Now -- Jeremy Clarkson
5. On the Edge -- Richard Hammond
6. The Innocent Man -- John Grisham
7. Long Way Down -- Ewan McGregor/Charley Boorman
8. Shopaholic and Baby -- Sophie Kinsella (Oh god, will she never stop writing these bloody insipid chicklits)
9. Jamie at Home -- Jamie Oliver
10. My Story -- Lewis Hamilton (Really, how long did it take you to come up with that title.)
11. And Another Thing -- Jeremy Clarkson (Truly, a Top Gear-tastic Top 20)
12. Not Dead Enough -- Peter James (This title made me laugh out loud. Never heard of it, but I can already see the cover in my mind.)
13. Doctor Who: The Official Annual 2008
14. Survivor -- Sharon Osbourne
15. Snakehead -- Anthony Horowitz
16. Book of the Dead -- Patricia Cornwell
17. The Autobiography -- Eric Clapton
18. High School Musical 2: The Book
19. The Beano Annual 2008
20. My Manchester United Years -- Bobby Charlton

So, now that you all know what you're getting for Christmas, I'm off to brace myself for Day Two of the Six Day Party Marathon. Tonight: off to see Starlight Express with friends and to have dinner in The Jam Factory. Fab.

UK Bestselling Books - Week Ending 17 November 2007

It's that time again...

1. Guinness World Records 2008 (Rumours are that stock is fast running out of this one.)
2. The Innocent Man -- John Grisham (High new entry. The usual Grisham fare, I assume.)
3. On the Edge -- Richard Hammond (Looking like the celeb book of Christmas 2007 at this rate.)
4. Long Way Down -- Ewan McGregor/Charley Boorman
5. Nigella Express -- Nigella Lawson
6. My Story -- Lewis Hamilton
7. Don't Stop Me Now -- Jeremy Clarkson
8. Doctor Who: The Annual
9. My Booky Wook -- Russell Brand (Who came up with this title? Urgh. Sex, drugs, and MTV.)
10. H.R.H. -- Danielle Steel
11. Jamie at Home - Jamie Oliver
12. Snakehead -- Anthony Horowitz
13. The Beano Annual 2008
14. Book of the Dead -- Patricia Cornwell
15. And Another Thing -- Jeremy Clarkson
16. Abandoned -- Anya Peters
17. My Manchester United Years -- Bobby Charlton
18. Atonement -- Ian McEwan
19. Little Library: In the Night Garden (Aaaaahhhh....)
20. New Europe -- Michael Palin (a friend of mine recently met him at a book signing, and confirm that he is Officially A Very Nice Man.)

So, there you go. No huge surprises, and I must admit, nothing I'm very excited about.  Ho hum.

UK Bestselling Books - Week Ending Nov 10

It's that time again. Let's see what the nation has been shelling out on book-wise...

1. Guinness World Records (I swear, it's not worth it, it's RUBBISH now.)
2. H.R.H -- Danielle Steel
3. On the Edge -- Richard Hammond (I had no idea car crashes were that interesting.)
4. Snakehead -- Anthony Horowitz
5. Nigella Express -- Nigella Lawson
6. Don't Stop Me Now -- Jeremy Clarkson (Really? Can I please stop you? Please?)
7. Book of the Dead -- Patricia Cornwell (Festive cheer once again)
8. And Another Thing -- Jeremy Clarkson (Oh do shut up)
9. Long Way Down -- Ewan McGregor/Charley Boorman
10. Abandoned -- Anya Peters (Ooh, a new entry! How *exciting*!)
11. Atonement -- Ian McEwan
12. Crystal -- Katie Price (I really think I might cry.)
13. Doctor Who: The Official Annual 2008
14. Treasure of Khan -- Clive Cussler
15. Simple Genius -- David Baldacci (Never read any of his thrillers... but DGR has.)
16. Making Money -- Terry Pratchett (Yes, yes he is.)
17. High School Musical 2: The Book
18. My Story -- Lewis Hamilton (Unimaginative title? Check. Young sportstar that no one had heard of this time last year? Check. More pictures than words? Check. Kid, you're gonna be a star!)
19. Jamie at Home -- Jamie Oliver
20. Crossfire -- Andy McNab (Nothing says Happy Christmas like an SAS story.)

Death, ming, and TV tie-ins. And Jordan. Excellent.

UK Bestselling Books - Week Ending November 3

I know you can barely stand the tension, but here's the Top 20 from the week ending November 3 2007.

1. Guinness World Records 2008 (I have a feeling this will be about for a while)
2. Nigella Express -- Nigella Lawson
3. Book of the Dead -- Patricia Cornwell
4. Snakehead -- Anthony Horowitz (American writer, his books are aimed at 12-16 year old boys)
5. On the Edge -- Richard Hammond
6. Don't Stop Me Now -- Jeremy Clarkson
7. Doctor Who: Official Annual 2008
8. Long Way Down -- Ewan McGregor/Charley Boorman
9. My Manchester United Years -- Bobby Charlton (I imagine a lot of dads and uncles will be getting this for Christmas this year)
10. Atonement -- Ian McEwan
11. And Another Thing -- Jeremy Clarkson (Not Ian McEwan. Damn my typos)
12. H.R.H. -- Danielle Steel (How many novels has she written now? Bloody hell)
13. Treasure of Khan -- Clive Cussler
14. Jamie at Home -- Jamie Oliver
15. More Twisted -- Jeffrey Deaver
16. High School Musical 2: The Book
17. Survivor -- Sharon Osbourne
18. The Beano Annual 2008 (HURRAH!! The highlight of Christmas Day as a small child. And also not so small child.)
19. New Europe -- Michael Palin
20. Cross -- James Patterson

God, we're a depressing bunch aren't we? We do like our gory crime and our car crash celebrities (literally, in Hammond's case).

Still, there's always Danielle Steel and The Beano. Not together, obviously. Though what would that be like?

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UK Bestselling Books, week ending 27 Oct 07

That post I wrote last week about the current bestselling books in the UK has got me a little bit obsessed with checking the Top 20s. So, I decided I am going to inflict the weekly charts on you lot too.

Here's the Top 20 for the week ending 27 October 2007:

1. Guinness World Records 2008 (I think I've made my thoughts on this quite clear elsewhere)
2. Nigella Express -- Nigella Lawson (Yet more speedy gastro-porn)
3. Book of the Dead -- Patricia Cornwell (She really is awful, but I just can't stop myself reading her anyway)
4. Atonement -- Ian McEwan (Still the film tie-in rides the charts)
5. Jamie at Home -- Jamie Oliver
6. On the Edge -- Richard Hammond (This is all looking strangely familiar)
7. More Twisted -- Jeffrey Deaver (More Gory Crime)
8. Treasure of Khan -- Clive Cussler (Adventure-y stuff. The author photo of him on his books is usually him with his wide collection of cars. This irritates me greatly.)
9. And Another Thing... -- Jeremy Clarkson (Another collection of his, ahem, *opinionated* newspaper columns. Seems to be an annual thing now.)
10. Long Way Down -- Ewan McGregor/Charley Boorman (Men on motorbikes. I confess to loving the TV series.)
11. Doctor Who Annual (Well, it is sort of almost Christmas, I suppose.)
12. The Official Highway Code
13. Kiss -- Jacqueline Wilson (Uber-Children's Author, I think she's a bit fab.)
14. High School Musical 2: The Book (Subtitled just in case you weren't altogether sure what this rectangular, flat thing you're holding is.)
15. Eric Clapton: The Autobiography -- Eric Clapton (One of the more worthwhile autobiog releases, I think. In that he has actually had a career and is over 25.)
16. Survivor -- Sharon Osbourne (Her second autobiography. How much can have happened since the last one, exactly?)
17. New Europe -- Michael Palin
18. Don't Stop Me Now -- Jeremy Clarkson (Yep, again.)
19. Cross -- James Patterson (American crime, outlandish storylines, questionable writing. I love it.)
20. Faces -- Martina Cole (East End Matriarch of UK crime lit)

So, children, what have we learned today? Crime fiction and celebrities sell a lot of books.