What do you want for Christmas?
The answer, for many of us, is a good book!
And... books have come back into their own over the past few years as the favourite option for gift-givers - but also for "self-gifters", especially over the festive season. Recent statistics show that we are increasingly choosing to treat ourselves to books, rather than reserving that pleasure for others. And why not?
It is generally agreed that the global pandemic increased book sales across all formats, and it looks like this renewed love of reading is set to continue, which is good news not just for authors and publishers but for all of us who find companionship in a good book. To put a figure on it, the number of books sold in the UK in 2021 topped 212 million, the highest in 10 years.
While physical books still remain the most popular format, and e-book consumption continues to grow, the real movers are audiobooks. Their growth has been extraordinary. Audio sales in the US topped $1.6 billion in 2021, and there's every indication that the trend will continue.
So... just as an appetiser, here is an extract from the audiobook recording of The Fire Portrait, in the lovely voice of Joanna Bending.
Happy Christmas!
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