Nile, Richard, and Walker, David (2001) The mystery of the missing bestseller. In: Lyons, Martin, and Arnold, John, (eds.) A History of the Book in Australia 1891-1945: a national culture in a colonised market. University of Queensland Press, Brisbane, QLD, Australia, pp. 235-254.

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Abstract

[Extract] The bestseller is an intriguing and still largely unexplored phenomenon in Australian literature. Two major categories of books merit consideration: works by Australian authors which achieved unusually large sales and popular titles in general which, year by year, indicate the changing nature of Australian reading preferences. For the period 1890 to 1945, there is no study that relates to reading practices and popular tastes to an overview of book sales. It would certainly be difficult to generate a full profile of bestsellers from the uneven and often unreliable publishing records and trade publications that still survive in Britain and Australia, but it would be worth attempting a more systematic analysis than is currently available. Even so, the bestseller remains of interest both as a quantifiable product, an item for sale, and as a swelling rumour of sudden wealth and instant fame.

Item ID:	54127
Item Type:	Book Chapter (Research - B1)
ISBN:	978-0-7022-3234-3
Keywords:	novelists, Australian literature, bestsellers, reading preferences,
Date Deposited:	06 Sep 2018 03:38
FoR Codes:	20 LANGUAGE, COMMUNICATION AND CULTURE > 2005 Literary Studies > 200502 Australian Literature (excl Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Literature) @ 80% 21 HISTORY AND ARCHAEOLOGY > 2103 Historical Studies > 210303 Australian History (excl Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander History) @ 20%
SEO Codes:	95 CULTURAL UNDERSTANDING > 9502 Communication > 950203 Languages and Literature @ 100%
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