Have Your Say

New Christie Website

Welcome to the new Christie website!  We hope that you like the new site - please let us know your thoughts!

Best-Selling Author

makemake 16 Jan 09 at 11:19 p.m. GMT

Hello, love your new website.  I find it more user-friendly and like the interactive elements very much.

By the way, the topic of "best-selling author of all time" came up amongst my friends recently, especially in light of Harry Potter, Da Vinci Code, etc.  Can anyone help clarify this record?  I've checked the Guiness World Records site but could not find an answer there.

Thanks.

Login or register to add posts and reply

30 replies

Reverse order

Frndorfoe 15 Aug 09 at 9:29 a.m. GMT

When I was three years old my mom started to read to me. She would read nursery rhymes and fairy tales. Even after she had re-read them to me several times I still insisted on listening to them again and again. When we went to the mall the first place I would run to was towards the illustrated fairytales in the children's section of the book store. As I started to grow up I began reading by myself. I would ask my dad to bring books for me whenever he went out to buy something for me, not chocolates or dolls or anything else (even though I loved those things too). By the time I was 10, I had already read my first Dickens, (and not because the teachers told me to) A Tale of Two Cities and my first Jane Austen, Pride and Prejudice (which co-incidentally was a wedding gift for my mom and dad from my aunt. That's how crazy about books my family is!). This love for reading runs through my whole family. My great grandmother, my grandma, my mom, my uncles and aunts and great aunts, all great book lovers- readers and collectors. I hope to continue this tradition when I have children in the future by reading to them from an early age and then just letting them choose whatever they would like to read, which is what my family did with me.

go_leafs_nation 15 Aug 09 at 1:15 a.m. GMT

Sounds like the old philosophy of "anything popular can't be that good", back with a vengeance. Dickens is nearly universally admired, and teachers sit down to try teaching why it is so. I too have read those books purely for enjoyment, and I have enjoyed them tremendously. Once in a while, there comes a book that I don't think merits the title of a classic, but that is often the case in many mediums. (Heck, I'm the guy who thinks The Godfather is overrated.) Criticism is always going to be around, but the mere argument that "it-can't-be-good-because-scholars-like-it" isn't an argument. And it won't be turned into one by equating ignorance with admitting that something is a classic or well-written. It's simply not true.

susandiane 14 Aug 09 at 11:51 p.m. GMT

Frndorfoe , i did NOT rag on Dickens, Heavens forbid :) i am a serious "christmas carol" JUNKIE! i even collect figurines of that story *blushes* my point was dickens was NOT considered literature until WAY after his death, he was considered a HACK during his lifetime! no way, no how was he a "serious" writer!i do think a lot of these books would be MORE enjoyable if they weren't forced down peoples throats! that was what was so cool about harry potter and goosebumps (potter IS better written). it got my kids to read tolkien (WAY overrated imho btw) & lewis. then my middle kid branched out into bradbury and lovecract, how neat is that?!?! if we can grab kids with enjoyable books at a young age, i.e. dr seuss and dav pilkey, then they'll go into the works of judy blume et al. and before you know it, THEY are addicted to reading too! that's, when it's all said and done, a GOOD thing!

what i do rag on (this is getting ridiculously long) is that teachers and professors have a preconceived notion of true "literature" if they were allowed to stretch, then the students could stretch. and yes, i realize teachers are bound by "standards" and "boards" one of my favorite teachers ever was my middle kid's 1st grade teacher, she had me sign a "release" so he could check out goosebumps books. he was SO over 1st grade level and the school system had a rule that you had to be at least 4th grade to check those books out. she saw and KNEW, "here's a kid that needs to be challenged" (this was before harry potter)

  so, if we can see it to give teachers their lead (like they used to have) we MAY be able to turn the tide against illiteracy and ignorance! THERE'S my RANT! disagree if you must, but i believe in what i've typed and always will!

Frndorfoe 06 Aug 09 at 4:17 p.m. GMT

susandiane

What is light fiction? If you are calling what my kids' teachers call "real" fiction or literature, I'm sorry. Dracula? Frankenstein? The Scarlet Letter? Have you ever tried to read those for enjoyment?

Well, I have! I have read Dracula and Frankenstein for enjoyment. And I have enjoyed them thoroughly. In addition, Dickens is one of my favorite authors. (For the record I am a young person, not a mom and I was not forced to read any of the books I have read.)

Tommy_A_Jones 29 May 09 at 1:47 p.m. GMT

susandiane, I fear you might be write although I live in a House of 4 Adults me being one of them and we have hundreds of books, I don't know what light fiction is - P. G. Wodehouse aswell as 4 Writers I haven't read, Jackie Collins, Barbara Cartland, J K Rowling or Roald Dahl Maybe but when it comes to Crime Fiction I read alot and I would call Simon Brett, Betty Rowlands, Dorothy Simpson, Hazel Holt, Janet Lawrence and Ann Granger light, Also although he isn't a Crime Writer I would call The Books of Mark Wallington light Fiction and Brilliant Reading

susandiane 20 Mar 09 at 7:44 p.m. GMT

to winnebego, Sadly enough I wonder how many households have more than (tops) 10 books.

and to Marc_Anton , What is light fiction? If you are calling what my kids' teachers call "real" fiction or literature, I'm sorry. Dracula? Frankenstein? The Scarlet Letter? Have you ever tried to read those for enjoyment? Ironically, Dickens was a hack, but at least he's readable and now he's LITERATURE!  Dickens and so many other REAL writers (Asimov, Clarke, BRADBURY) realize that if your reader is FORCED to read it (i.e. you are so boring only a failing grade in class will get you to read it) my gosh, Ray Bradbury is the proof against that! ((and no, i'm not ragging on you, i'm ragging on ALL those teachers who required my kids (and my husband) to read the most boring things in the world, all in the name of "literature"!))

ArlenaSMarshall 20 Mar 09 at 10:37 a.m. GMT

I'm pretty sure AC is the best-selling mystery writer.

Marc_Anton 20 Mar 09 at 8:05 a.m. GMT

I am still not convinced. Yes, I think Christie might be top seller in the category light fiction, after all, all her books are still in print and have been since 80 years, even the really bad ones. Also her big output makes that Christie probably has more copies around than any other writer. Third, Christie is pretty light reading, so there is easy access from let's say 12 to 92 years old, people who never read any other book (not even crime) can at least read a Christie. So the age span is much wider.

I think that quote ("Third best seller....etc") also has something to do with the Brittish obsession with Shakespeare and the Bible. I remember there was (and probably still is) a radio programm called 'Desert Island Discs', people were interviewed about their 10 favourite classical records they wanted to take with them to an isolated island. The last question always was: "Now, what is the ONE book do you want to bring to the island next to Shakespeare and the Bible?" Well, personally I can think of at least a dozen books I prefer to bring with me and leave Shakespeare and the Bible at home, but the interviewer probably thought you MUST read Shakespeare and the Bible under the palms, quite patronising. I never recall anybody say 'Well, could I leave Shakespeare and Bible at home and bring three books of MY choice?' But no, everybody (even the 'foreign' guests) thought there would be nothing more bliss than to sit on a beach and read The Merry Wives of Windsor or Henry the Fourth (part two) and while listening to Brahms or Debussy.

devilgal19 20 Mar 09 at 12:39 a.m. GMT

I believe Agatha Christie is the third best seller after the Bible and Shakespeare.

crystalaine 14 Mar 09 at 10:17 p.m. GMT

hi i,m new to the site and i'm loving it.

with regards to best selling author i saw the answer to this recently on eggheads on bbc2 agatha christie has been over taken by catherine cookson .

Tommy_A_Jones 14 Mar 09 at 12:58 p.m. GMT

I think it used to be more common for households to have a copy of the Bible and the Works of Shakespeare but with trends changeing and More television Channels than ever and more choice for people to get information and dare I say it standards in society dropping and less interest in religion people are less likely to have a copy of the biblle or Shakespeare in the house, sadly I would doubt there are that many houseolds with at least one Agatha Christie book - more fool them I say.

susandiane 11 Mar 09 at 12:18 p.m. GMT

Marc_Anton

I always found this a rather good advertising gimmick but not based on any real facts, figures or statistics. I am rather doubtful about Shakespeare as bestselling author no. 2. That would mean that about every house from England over Finland and Mongolia to Brazil would have a work (or the complete works) by the Stratford bard in print! Highly unlikely.

But you are forgetting how many schools, public libraries, and colleges have the works of Shakespeare, and how many times those have to be replaced (wear, tear, and just plain thievery). I mean honestly, how many local theatre groups have copies of the plays? Toot, I own the complete works (a very nice birthday gift from my brother over 2 decades ago, in hardbacks with beautiful plates). I was lucky, I didn't have to go out and buy "Hamlet" or "Romeo and Juliet" for my kids when the literature or English teachers required the readings, I already had them  .So many parents have to, though. So there's your sales

Marc_Anton 09 Mar 09 at 5:26 p.m. GMT

Oh, but I don't doubt the fact that Christie sold millions and millions of books and can be regarded as the No.1 seller! But I am not sure many (or relatively many) people actually bought a Bible and that Shakespeare comes second in terms of best-selling figures. Of course Shakespeare is very well known to many but how many people in non-English speaking countries actually owe many of his plays in a printed version? And while people might have one Bible (or perhaps two) at home, I think many more people owe more than one Christie novel. Or none at all of course because the style, genre or the author does not appeal to them.   

Jemma 09 Mar 09 at 4:39 p.m. GMT

The fact that Christie has sold over 2 billion books worlwide is taken from a study carried out by the United Nations in the 1950s.  The UN report concluded that she had sold over 2 billion books worldwide.  Since then she has continued to sell millions of books a year.

It is indeed a very clever advertising gimmick - but one that we are happy to say is true!

Marc_Anton 09 Mar 09 at 12:46 p.m. GMT

I always found this a rather good advertising gimmick but not based on any real facts, figures or statistics. I am rather doubtful about Shakespeare as bestselling author no. 2. That would mean that about every house from England over Finland and Mongolia to Brazil would have a work (or the complete works) by the Stratford bard in print! Highly unlikely. And as for the Bible, you can hardly discuss it in terms of a bestselling books. Every year hundred thousands copies are printed and send to Africa and Asia for free by missionary organisations, not to speak of all the copies they leave behind in every hotel room. So it is like comparing apples and pears. But indeed it is a good slogan and one that sticks in the mind. I hope the copy writer who thought of that one 50 years ago received an extra Christmas bonus. I will not deny Christy her status as a bestselling author though.

ace_of_spades 06 Mar 09 at 11:49 p.m. GMT

Christie's definitely the best-selling mystery writer of all time. I've also read in multiple sources that she is out-sold ONLY by the Bible and Shakespeare.

susandiane 05 Mar 09 at 8:18 p.m. GMT

Winnebego, reading ADDICT, that's me Throw AWAY a book? That's sacrilege! I will recycle them when they are literally falling apart. If I happen to not like a book, I'll just trade it to a used book store or donate it to a charity thrift store.

 To get back to the original question, both Shakespeare and Christie have a maximum estimated sales around 4 Billion each. Weirdly enough, Barbara Cartland is third with a max. est. of 1 Billion in sales (yes all these are billion with a B) All my information comes from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_best-selling_fiction_authors

Hope this helps:)

Tommy_A_Jones 05 Mar 09 at 4:32 p.m. GMT

I agree with you susandiane, I was forgetting the Avid reader is a beast above such things as throw away societies there are a couple of AC books I have read more than once and many which when I have finished all the books I will re-read 

susandiane 23 Feb 09 at 10:08 a.m. GMT

Winnebego, I don't believe when the books are written is as important as how well they're written. I am definitly not one of the "Harry Potter" target audience (I read them starting in my 30's) and I find that I still can re-read them and enjoy them. I believe THAT is the true test of stories, can they be enjoyed after you've already read them. If a prior reader can, imagine the new generations enjoyment (IF they can stay away from spoilers, the REAL hazard of the "information age" imho) AC has that power, so does Asimov. Conan-Doyles' Prof. Challenger books are still being copied today (i.e. "Jurassic Park") and the mystery genre owes a great debt of gratitude to Holmes. "The Hound of the Baskervilles" has gone beyond being "just" a mystery novel into great literature. More so than Poe's mysteries.

Tommy_A_Jones 20 Feb 09 at 4:43 p.m. GMT

Perhaps you are right susandiane but The Conan-Doyle books were written in less sofisticated times where as Harry Potter is written during a Here today gone tomorrow time so books written today are less likely of being popular in years to come.