The Bookseller.com

6th July 2009

Celebrity books defy the headlines

15.12.08

Sales of celebrity books are running well-ahead of last year, according to data from Nielsen BookScan, contrary to widespread media reports.

Earlier this week HMV chief executive Simon Fox suggested that poor sales of non-fiction titles, in particular celebrity and cookery books, were one of the main causes of "deteriorating" trading at the high street bookseller Waterstone's. The comment was seized upon by newspapers, with headlines such as "Celeb books snubbed by shoppers" appearing across papers and websites overnight.

But analysis of Nielsen BookScan data suggests that the opposite is true: sales of bestselling celebrity memoirs are up 50% year-on-year in volume terms. The top 20 hardback celebrity memoirs of the year have taken £27m through the market this year, compared to £20m by the same period last year.

Individual titles are also performing better. Last year four hardback celebrity memoirs sold more than 200,000 copies through the Total Consumer Market (books written by Richard Hammond, Russell Brand, Sharon Osborne and Sir Bobby Charlton) in the full 12-month period, whereas this year five books have already passed that mark (Paul O’Grady, Dawn French, Michael Parkinson, Julie Walters and Katie Price), with Alan Carr also likely to pass that mark before the end of the year.

Cookery titles have also registered an increase-albeit at a smaller level, up 3% by volume and by 11% by value.

However, the wider book market continues to struggle, now down by 0.8% by value on a rolling 52-week basis, and down 0.3% by volume.

This year's celebrity bestsellers
1 At My Mother's Knee Paul O'Grady 444,572
2 Dear Fatty Dawn French 344,857
3 Parky Michael Parkinson 283,083
4 That's Another Story Julie Walters 279,648
5 Jordan:Pushed to the Limit Katie Price 228,086

Last year's celebrity bestsellers
1 On the Edge Richard Hammond 306,392
2 My Booky Wook Russell Brand 175,132
3 Survivor Sharon Osbourne 144,158
4 My Manchester United Years Sir Bobby Charlton 138,102
5 Eric Clapton Eric Clapton 120,227

Financial Books Simon Fox HMV Home Christmas celebrity Waterstones

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