Click Here To Purchase From Amazon Why We Read: A Delightfully Opinionated Journey Through Comtempary Bestsellers

Authors: Lisa Adams and John Heath

ISBN: 10: 140221054X:   13:9781402210549

In Why We Read What We Read: A Delighfully Opinionated Journey Through Contemporary Bestsellers, Lisa Adams and John Heath set out to explore the current state of the American psyche by closely examining the bestselling books since 1990. As the authors mention in their introduction, “Bestsellers, we must note, do make up only a very small percentage of all books sold-but still, their success is determined solely by audience demand."

In order to make some sense of it all, Adams and Heath have used the annual list of bestselling books published by Publishers Weekly supplemented with USA TODAY’s list of the 100 best-selling books between 1993-2003.

As mentioned, what the authors discovered was quite surprising, as there were many mediocre titles they never heard about that for years sold millions of copies right under their noses. Generally, the bestsellers reflect a reading public that were not only interested in escapist fantasies, but also in life’s most complex issues: politics, religion, the law and emotional connection.

There was also an eternal quest for self-improvement where we find books written by all kinds of experts in such disciplines as fitness, finance, spirituality, and health. Succinctly, Adams and Heath assert that readers are seduced by books that are simple, which reinforce their gut feelings rather than the complex that perhaps challenge to search for real answers. In order to substantiate their findings, Adams and Heath explore the reasons (some of them fairly obvious, others more subtle) why readers prefer to be told answers they already know or intuit rather than to engage in discussing different ideas or participate in debates.

The categories of books that are analyzed and dissected are wide and varied beginning with diet books as Dr. Atkins New Diet Revolution and South Beach Diet, and books dealing with wealth and inspiration. These bestsellers for the most part offer the reader good feelings but very seldom lasting change and as mentioned, the reading experience in actuality perpetuates the very need for new self-help and inspirational books.

From here the authors delve into the concepts of good and evil in fiction and non-fiction where there seems to be a diversity of opinion as to what actually constitutes good and evil in the realm of fiction and non-fiction. Reference is made to Reading Lolita in Tehran and Harry Potter.

As for non-fiction literature, Adams and Heath note that there is a tendency for authors such as Ann Coulter, Michael Moore, and others to describe anyone who disagrees with them as liars: “one could only conclude after reading these books that virtually every major political leader, insider journalist, and commentator of the past decade is a liar. Not just a liar, but a really big liar, with his (or more rarely her) pants on fire.” In other words, the Left maintains that to stay in power, the Right lies and the Right complains that the Left consistently lies due to the fact that it rejects the very existence of truth.

Why are we so in love with books dealing with love, romance, sex and relationships? The authors stress that judging from books dealing with these topics, it would appear that we are not pleased with our relationships and this is particularly valid when it comes to women readers.

What they found was that women turn to books, both nonfiction and fiction, for answers and solace. To understand this phenomenon, Adams and Heath explore the nature of the answers and solace they are seeking or at least receiving. 

Another fashionable subject filling the bookshelves of libraries and bookstores are books pertaining to religion and spirituality. The books that are reviewed in this section share three basic premises: there are no accidents, as everything in life has a meaning: love is the solution and answer, and what other experts and gurus profess is almost always wrong. Considerable ink is devoted in this section in presenting the Christian and New Age perspectives and how they compete with each other with diametrically opposed concepts.

Books dealing with differences such as handicaps and diseases also seem to be quite popular and we are informed that most of these books are thematically similar. Apparently, as we discover, readers seem to have a grim fascination with misfortunes, even invented ones, as long as they affect someone else.

The final chapter of the book examines The Da Vinci Code and what accounts for its popularity as it is the bestselling phenomenon of this millennium, the number one bestseller in hardback fiction in 2003 and 2004, and second only to John Grisham’s latest thriller in 2005, with forty million copies now in print.

Why We Read What We Read: A Delighfully Opinionated Journey Through Contemporary Bestsellers is comprehensive but never wearisome, analytical but never pedantic. Adams and Heath have an excellent grasp of the complexities of the subject matter and their analysis is certainly not bland but rather interesting and informative. Approached with an open mind, and perhaps with a grain of salt, this book achieves its ultimate goal; it forces people to think about the bestsellers in relation to current values, desires, and fears of Americans. As the authors state: “Are top-selling books merely flukes, or is there something that links them, certain persistent themes that resonate these days in the American psyche?”

The above review was contributed by:  Norm Goldman, B.A. LL.L, Retired Title Attorney, Publisher & Editor of Bookpleasures.com. Norm is also a travel writer and together with his artist wife, Lily, the couple meld Norm's words with Lily's art. To check out their travel site click on Sketchandtravel.com   Click here to view Norm’s Reviews & Interviews.

Click Here To Purchase From Amazon Why We Read: A Delightfully Opionionated Journey Through Comtempary Bestsellers