Chinanews.com Client, Beijing, March 21st (Reporter Shangguan Yun) In early 2020, the outbreak of the new crown pneumonia outbreak will have a significant impact on people's lives, including all walks of life. This includes the book market.
A few days ago, the open book announced the list of best-selling books in February 2020, which showed that some of the popular science-related books that were not of high interest or even more specialized niche sales increased in varying degrees. This also became a special cultural phenomenon during the epidemic.
An industry insider said in an interview with reporters that the above situation in the domestic book market is normal, and readers are concerned about the epidemic situation and naturally want to know relevant information. In response to the impact of the epidemic, publishing institutions and bookstores have been actively helping themselves, such as live broadcasts, online classrooms, and so on.
Data map: The picture shows the Chongqing Book City resumes business, and citizens wear a mask to read. Photo by Zhou Yi
Popularity of popular science-related books in February
The February bestseller list is divided into three non-fictional, fictional, and children's lists. Comprehensive analysis of the fictional list, "Love in the Cholera Period (2015 Hardcover Edition)" ranked 11th, becoming the most rising book among the returning books.
Some epidemiological and popular science books that have not paid much attention to them have also begun to attract the attention of the general public. Li Jingyi, assistant manager of the research and consulting department of Opening Books, said: "From the monitoring data of Opening Books, the epidemic in February was affected. Compared with previous books, virus or epidemiology-related books are more popular, and sales have increased significantly.
She mentioned that the most obvious ones are literary books, which have a large sales base and a wide readership, such as "Plague" and "Love in the Cholera Period".
"Of the non-fiction books, although the three books," Viral Planet "and" Plague and Man, "have not been on the list, sales have also risen significantly." Li Jingyi said, even many of the more professional and less popular science popularizations Sales of all kinds of books have increased significantly.
In addition, writer Bi Shumin's novel "Corona Virus" also became a hot search, and the price of used books has risen all the way. According to the Shanghai Translation Publishing House, 50,000 copies of the Plague were printed and will be officially launched in the near future.
Why do these books attract attention?
The cover of "Cholera Love". Photo courtesy of New Classic Culture
Analyzing the reasons for the rise in book sales mentioned above, Li Jingyi believes that, on the one hand, the nation ’s anti-epidemic is still continuing, and there is time to read after home isolation or office work. Naturally, readers will immediately think of learning about books related to the epidemic and seek The answer or consolation.
"On the other hand, during this period, the media also released some epidemic-related book lists, or cited the content of related books in the articles, forming a hot spot for reading." She said.
What factors affect book sales?
From another perspective, hot events still have a relatively obvious impact on book sales. In February 2020, in the open-book non-fiction retail best-seller list, both physical stores and online stores have listed books for the first time.
In the list of online stores, five new books include "You Are Your Child's Best Toy (Upgrade)", "Mamba Spirit: Kobe's Autobiography", "Cognitive Nature: Psychological Laws That Make Learning Easier".
Li Jingyi said that from the newly added books, the online store list books more reflect the living conditions and social hotspots of everyone in the period of home isolation. Among the newly added books are books on home education, personal learning and growth, and stress relief.
In addition, on January 26, 2020, the death of basketball player Kobe Bryant sparked mourning and caused public concern. And the old book "Mamba Spirit: Kobe Autobiography", which was released in October 2018, also made its first list this month, ranking 12th.
According to Li Jingyi, the best-selling books and classic celebrity masterpieces with attractive content and strong continuity are also the first choice for readers even during the epidemic. At the same time, hot events will still attract everyone's attention.
Active self-help publishing industry
Data Map: The first day of the resumption of Shanghai's "Highest Bookstore" attracted many readers to check in. Photo by Zhang Hengwei
It is worth noting that, generally speaking, book sales should have peaked in January and February each year, but according to open book monitoring data, book sales in the same period of this year have experienced a significant chain decline.
According to Li Jingyi, the index of brick-and-mortar bookstores fell by 81.65% month-on-month in February this year, and also fell sharply year-on-year. The sales code of online channels monitored in February was also lower than that of the same period of last year. The online store book sales code of the month decreased month-on-month and was slightly lower than the same period of last year.
Publishing agencies are also actively responding to the impact of the outbreak. According to the reporter's understanding, many publishing houses, including Huacheng Publishing House, Shanghai Translation Publishing House, and East China Normal University Press, have launched live broadcasts to introduce books to people; or organized cultural events online to try to minimize the impact of the epidemic.
Xuan Xuan had worked in a publishing house for many years. He mentioned that the sudden outbreak had tested the resilience of publishers and bookstores. "How to guide readers to read? Popular science books related to epidemiology have attracted attention and can they be used to arouse further readers Thinking?"
"At present, more and more companies are gradually returning to normal work. Although the epidemic has caused a large impact, measures such as home office have also given readers more time to read. What will happen to the book market after the epidemic has gradually passed? Changes, we need to keep an eye on it. "Li Jingyi said. (At the request of the interviewee, Xuan Xuan is a pseudonym) (End)