Bestseller lists?

[Brian Clegg]

I've just blogged here about bestseller lists, as I'm on a radio discussion of science books, one topic being the New York Times bestseller list - and I've never seen it (or UK equivalents) nor do I have any interest in doing so. Do we like bestseller lists?

 

[Katie-Ellen]

I'm with you on this one. I do look at them, and I read the book sections of the Sunday Times every week, to know what's out there. I read all the fiction reviews and all the non-fiction reviews. I do a bit of duty reading to not fall behind the zeitgeist. Maybe not as much as I should, and for sheer weariness at the prospect I couldn't read 50 Shades, however rich it's made someone. I buy what grabs my fancy, I look for nourishment.

 

[1408]

Eep, maybe I should start paying more attention to them. The most I do is read the recommendations in Waterstones because I like seeing what the staff say about certain books. Sometimes, when things reach the big press and are reviewed by the big press (I don't know who I'm exactly referring to here, I guess the big guys who rule the world - well, when it comes to books) I get a little cynical. Especially if they all know each other and then it feels pretty much the same as "My Dad says it's good!" I don't know, is there ever an honest review? Do they even count for much when our tastes vary so much?

Bah, I dunno. Back to the question, I guess bestseller lists are interesting because it gives an insight to what people are currently enjoying reading. But then again, have they only picked it up to read because it's been recommended on a TV show? Would it have reached that fandom by word of mouth alone? Maybe they're most useful to agents and publishers? So many questions you've now got me asking! Dag nabbit, @Brian Clegg