It is hard to believe that we are almost halfway through 2016 already; those last six months have flown past in a blur of new authors, long awaited sequels and the culmination of more than one trilogy that I have been reading.
It appears that 2016 is heading towards being a bumper year for book sales in general and that can only be a good thing, after all if we’re buying, we’re reading, and there is nothing negative about people reading. So what are the books that people are reading? From fiction to self help, colouring books to learning aids, Amazon tells us that these titles are the best selling books of 2016 so far.
Oh, The Places You’ll Go! – Dr. Seuss
An evergreen novel, The Places You’ll Go is always a top selling title and its sales are boosted due to it being a favourite gift for graduation season. With its upbeat outlook on life and the possibilities that lie ahead Seuss takes readers through the inevitable ups, downs, and beauty of life in his own inimitable fashion.
Buy Oh The Places You’ll Go US
Buy Oh The Places You’ll Go UK
The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up – Marie Kondo
It seems we all want to live in a minimalist home if the number two best seller is anything to go by. This how to book on the Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organising will help you transform your home into a permanently clear and clutter-free space with the incredible KonMari Method.
Buy The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up US
Buy The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up UK
When Breath Becomes Air – Paul Kalanithi
When you are coming to the end of a decade training to be a neurosurgeon what do you do when you are diagnosed with terminal lung cancer? What makes life worth living in the face of death? Paul Kalanithi died whilst writing this profoundly moving, powerfully written book that will remain with you long after you have turned the final page.
Buy When Breath Becomes Air US
Buy When Breath Becomes Air UK
The 5 Love Languages: The Secret to Love that Lasts – Gary Chapman
Next up is another self help, or perhaps a help one another book. Dr. Gary Chapman guides couples in identifying, understanding, and speaking their spouse’s primary love language–quality time, words of affirmation, gifts, acts of service, or physical touch; or the five languages of love.
The Whole 30 – Melissa and Dallas Hartwig
I have to admit, I am surprised that it took until fifth place before we came across a Healthy Living guide of some sort. Published over a year ago this book claims that it is not a traditional diet book but a way to implement lasting change in your life by eating real food for 30 days. As it is still doing so well, perhaps there is something in what it says that actually works.
How to Win Friends & Influence People – Dale Carnegie
Surely every person on the planet must have a copy of this book somewhere in their home now? For this self help book first published in October of 1936 to still be in the top ten best selling books of 2016 is nothing short of astounding.
Buy How to Win Friends & Influence People US
Buy How to Win Friends & Influence People UK
A Colouring Book for Adults Featuring Mandalas and Henna Inspired Flowers, Animals, and Paisley Patterns.
Exactly what it says; a colouring book for adults that features Mandalas, flowers and paisley patterns. Using colouring as a method of de-stressing seems to really work and the vast numbers of sales for these books are testament to that fact.
Buy Flowers, Animals, and Paisley Patterns US
Buy Flowers, Animals, and Paisley Patterns UK
Mindset: The New Psychology of Success – Carol Dweck
Written by world-renowned Stanford psychologist Carol Dweck, the book argues, among other things, that “praising intelligence and ability doesn’t foster self-esteem and lead to accomplishment, but may actually do the opposite.
Buy Mindset: The New Psychology of Success US
Buy Mindset: The New Psychology of Success UK
To Kill a Mockingbird – Harper Lee
I am certain that the news of Harper Lee’s death will have caused the spike in purchases of her huge best seller To Kill a Mockingbird, but she is a regular entry into the topsellers and a well deserved entry here.
The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People – Stephen R. Covey
The top ten is completed with another self help book; published in 2004 Stephen R. Covey presents a holistic, integrated, principle-centred approach for solving personal and professional problems. With penetrating insights and pointed anecdotes, Covey reveals a step-by-step pathway for living with fairness, integrity, honesty and human dignity – principles that give us the security to adapt to change, and the wisdom and power to take advantage of the opportunities that change creates.
Buy The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People US
Buy The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People UK
There you are, the top ten best sellers of the first half of 2016; I have omitted a couple of online resource titles as they aren’t genuine books and I also omitted the top selling book of 2016; why? Because it has not been released yet. The top selling book for Jan to June of 2016? Harry Potter and The Cursed Child, I can see this book breaking all kinds of records upon its release and I would bet that it will top the end of year best sellers lists too.
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