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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.

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30 replies

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detectivepauljohn 17 Jan 09 at 1:32 p.m. GMT

All I can say in this post is that I love the book Harry Potter.

hobbit 18 Jan 09 at 11:32 a.m. GMT

If you are asking whether Agatha Christie is the best-selling author of all time or not, then I think (I'm not entirely sure) that the answer is yes.

If i understand it right, she is outsold only by the Bible (a work of non-fiction) and Shakespeare (a playwright). Hope that helps.

makemake 18 Jan 09 at 5:58 p.m. GMT

Thanks for the replies. Yes, I wanted to know if Agatha Christie is the best-selling author of all time. I've heard all kinds of claims which included J.R.R Tolkien, Shakespeare, J.K. Rowling, etc. but would like a clarification if anyone can help. Cheers!

hobbit 18 Jan 09 at 6:28 p.m. GMT

Well the reason for the confusion is probably beacause no exact numbers for the sales of any author exist - all we have to work on are 'best guesses' (partly because numbers are constantly changing and partly because no definitive record was ever kept).

The estimate for Agatha Christie is over 2 billion copies of her work sold, which makes her the best-selling author of all time. The Bible has sold approximately 6 billion copies (this is of course a very rough estimate for obvious reasons) but doesn't fall into the category of fiction.

I feel pretty confident in saying that JRRTolkien is not quite in those leagues, but Shakespeare obviously has sold in the billions. I believe officially he's outsold Agatha Christie, but as he wrote plays (published in various editions and compilations etc.) he technically doesn't count as the best-selling author.

I honestly have no clue about J.K.Rowling's sales but I would imagine she hasn't got too close to Christie just yet. Hope this information is helpful to you, gialim.

VRossa 19 Jan 09 at 2:36 a.m. GMT

I think it depends on whether you count all her books collectively rather than any one of her books and if you do she probably is the best selling author of all time. I think 'Hobbit' is right records are bit fuzzy and there are a number of different lists which add to the confusion. Such as the best selling book of all time which supposedly is the Bible although they are claims that Mao Tse Tung's Little Red Book was published in figures rivalling the bible - nobody really knows. Certainly in terms of single books Tolkien is up there with Charles Dicken's 'Tale of Two Cities and Agatha Christie's 'And then they were None' aka 'Ten Little Nigger Boys'. J K Rowling supposedly tops the list for the highest selling author of a book series.

Madeleinn 19 Jan 09 at 3:45 a.m. GMT

So I only can tell you is that I love Harry Potter (the book and the character of the films XD!) sorry kisses

detectivepauljohn 13 Feb 09 at 11:03 a.m. GMT

Agatha Christie sold 2 billion copies of books. OMG as in Oh. My. Gosh!!!

ariadnepoirotmarple 15 Feb 09 at 8:23 p.m. GMT

I agree detectivepauljohn, oh my God! But Agatha Christie was an excellent author so it's normal to have sold so many, many books.

Tommy_A_Jones 16 Feb 09 at 12:24 p.m. GMT

How many Authors have many Series of books? There's the Poirot's, The Miss Marples, Tommy and Tuppence's, her books have been Translated into many different Countries and her Characters are the undoubtedly linked to Characters today, Whe wouldn't have Murder She Wrote if it wasn't for Agatha Christie as the Character Jessica Fletcher is inspired by Ariadne Olive, Will people still be talking about Harry Potter long after J K Rowlings death? I think not but only time will tell.

susandiane 18 Feb 09 at 9:13 p.m. GMT

To Winnebego, Conan-Doyle had "Holmes" and "Prof. Challenger". Asimov had his "Robotics" and "Foundation" books. A few of the newer mystery writers have multi-series i.e. Charlotte Macleod's "Peter Shandy" and "Grub and Stakers" (grant it, those are done, she died a few years ago). The newer writers tend to use nom de plumes for their multi's. I do think "Harry Potter" will survive like JRRT's "Middle Earth" books or CS Lewis' "Chronicles of Narnia" have. Unlike "Twilight" or "A Series of Unfortunate Events", which I don't think will be talked about after they are done.

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.

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 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 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:)

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.

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.

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 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.   

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

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.