By Porter Anderson, Editor-in-Chief | @Porter_Anderson

Supportive Messages for Young Adults

The title to watch in the May bestsellers list from China, according to our Trajectory colleague Wendy Pan, is Sophie’s World by the Norwegian novelist and short story writer Jostein Gaarder in a newly published Chinese edition from Writer’s Publishing House.

It’s a 1991 work of fiction that entered the OpenBook listings for the first time in April and now is seen rising seven spots in May to become No 12. Released in English in 1995 and said to have been translated into more than 50 languages and was given a film treatment in 1999.

Gaarder uses the devices of letters, questions, and dialogues to tell his story. Chinese readers, we’re told, are enjoying this fictional approach to an explanation of Western philosophical tenets.

Pan tells us that the Chinese readership is accustomed to popularly written forms of academic and theoretical content, coming at times under the umbrella of self-help books, which we last month discussed as finding a lot of favor with urban youth in China this year.

A new entry this month at No. 13 in the overall fiction chart—just behind Gaarder—is the popular writer Zhang Haochen’s Up to You.

It was released in May to coincide with the birthday of the author, the book is performing as expected, we’re told, as an immediate bestseller.

Zhang’s riding on the previous success of his Just for Meeting You, which carries emotionally supportive messages for young adult readers about having faith in love and being unafraid of affection.

The readers of Zhang Haochen’s work appreciate his reassurance that emotional satisfaction and authenticity are possible in what many of them experience as a very fast-paced contemporary life.

And meanwhile, in nonfiction, we find Chen Lei’s World History in 30 Minutes of Cartoons at No. 2 in May.

The book, a companion to Chinese History in 30 Minutes of Cartoons (No. 4), features what’s described as a collection of cartoons that cover “the rise and fall of world civilization and the divisiveness of political relations between many countries, all in a form of minimalist world history.

Below, then, are OpenBook’s overall lists from May of bestsellers in fiction and nonfiction, followed by its lists of bestselling fiction and nonfiction in China by authors from outside the country, which are of interest, of course, to those who are looking to sell rights into the huge Chinese market.

At the end of our article, as always, you’ll find notes on how the lists are constructed.

OpenBook’s Overall Fiction Bestsellers in China, May 2018

April 2018 Ranking	May 2018 Ranking	ISBN	Release Date	Title (Translated)	Author	Chinese Publisher
1	1	9787506365437	201006	To Live	Yu hua	The Writer’s Publishing House
2	2	9787544270878	201404	Miracles of the Namiya General Store	Higashino Keigo	Nan Hai Publishing Co.
15	3	9787559608949	201709	I’m Waiting for You in Future	Liu Tong	Beijing Union Publishing Co., Ltd.
5	4	9787536692930	200801	The Three-Body Problem	Liu Cixin	Chongqing Publishing House
7	5	9787536693968	200805	The Dark Forest	Liu Cixin	Chongqing Publishing House
6	6	9787229030933	201011	Death’s End	Liu Cixin	Chongqing Publishing House
3	7	9787208061644	200604	The Kite Runner	Khaled Hosseini	Shanghai People’s Publishing House
8	8	9787530215593	201706	To Live	Yu hua	Beijing October Art & Literature Publishing House
9	9	9787550013247	201505	Ferryman	Claire McFall	Baihuazhou Literature & Art Publishing House
4	10	9787544291170	201708	One Hundred Years of Solitude (50th Anniversary Edition)	Gabriel García Márquez	Nan Hai Publishing Co.
Not Ranked	11	9787506344791	200812	Street Wizards	Feng Jicai	The Writer’s Publishing House
20	12	9787506394864	201709	Sophie’s World (New Edition)	Jostein Gaarder	The Writer’s Publishing House
Not Ranked	13	9787201130903	201805	Up To You	Zhang Haochen	Tianjin People’s Publishing House
13	14	9787550024212	201709	Trespassers	Claire McFall	Baihuazhou Literature & Art Publishing House
14	15	9787544291163	201708	Journey Under the Midnight Sun (2017 Version)	Higashino Keigo	Nan Hai Publishing Co.
24	16	9787544285148	201610	Malice	Higashino Keigo	Nan Hai Publishing Co.
12	17	9787530216781	201706	Ordinary Word (3 Volumns)	Lu Yao	Beijing October Art & Literature Publishing House
16	18	9787544267618	201406	The Devotion of Suspect X	Higashino Keigo	Nan Hai Publishing Co.
11	19	9787500601593	200508	Red Crag	Luo Guangbin,Yang Yiyan	China Youth Press
22	20	9787020090006	201207	Fortress Besieged	Qian Zhongshu	People’s Literature Publishing House
10	21	9787539971810	201504	The Storied Life of A. J. Fikry	Gabrielle Zevin	Jiangsu Literature & Art Press
Not Ranked	22	9787506384209	201511	Street Wizards (2)	Feng Jicai	The Writer’s Publishing House
23	23	9787540455958	201206	The Shadow Thief	Marc Levy	Hunan Literature & Art Press
19	24	9787513312103	201306	The Seventh Day	Yu hua	New Star Press Co.Ltd
Not Ranked	25	9787556212743	201506	It Is You I Love	Qiao Yi	Hunan Juvenile and Children’s Publishing House
Not Ranked	26	9787556236633	201804	Douluo Continent III: Legend of the Dragon King(26)	Tang Jia San Shao	Hunan Juvenile and Children’s Publishing House
29	27	9787539983295	201510	Foundation	Isaac Asimov	Jiangsu Literature & Art Press
28	28	9787506365680	201212	Chronicle of a Blood Merchant	Yu hua	The Writer’s Publishing House
26	29	9787559614636	201712	Fang Si-Qi’s First Love Paradise	Lin Yihan	Beijing Union Publishing Co., Ltd.
18	30	9787544277617	201506	Love in the Time of Cholera	Gabriel García Márquez	Nan Hai Publishing Co.

OpenBook’s Overall Nonfiction Bestsellers in China, May 2018

April 2018 Ranking	May 2018 Ranking	ISBN	Release Date	Title (Translated)	Author	Chinese Publisher
3	1	9787503561634	201708	Xi Jinping’s Seven Years as an Educated Youth	Party School of the Central Committee of C.P.C	Central Party School Press
Not Ranked	2	9787559418111	201804	30 Minutes of World History in Cartoon	Chen Lei	Jiangsu Literature & Art Press
2	3	9787201094014	201509	Six Records of a Floating Life	Shen Fu	Tianjin People’s Publishing House
9	4	9787539999883	201703	30 Minutes of Chinese History in Cartoon	Er Hunzi	Jiangsu Literature & Art Press
1	5	9787550263932	201511	Genius on the Left, Lunatic on the Right (Full Version)	Gao Ming	Beijing Union Publishing Co., Ltd.
7	6	9787508684031	201712	Principles	Ray Dalio	CITIC Publishing House Co.,Ltd
Not Ranked	7	9787550268517	201607	Positive Discipline	Jane Nelsen	Beijing Union Publishing Co., Ltd.
6	8	9787540482190	201708	I Won’t	Da Bing	Hunan Literature & Art Press
11	9	9787535488473	201605	Walk Alone Freely	Jia Pingwa	Changjiang Literature & Art Press Co.,Ltd.
8	10	9787535732309	200111	A Brief History of Time	Stephen W.Hawking	Hunan Science & Technology Press
14	11	9787559407634	201803	Furiously Happy: A Funny Book About Horrible Things	Jenny Lawson	Jiangsu Literature & Art Press
4	12	9787514219203	201709	The Willpower Instinct (New Edition)	Kelly McGonigal	Cultural Development Publishing House
10	13	9787201088945	201412	No More Than Skins	Cai Chongda	Tianjin People’s Publishing House
25	14	9787508086156	201511	Nonviolent Communication	Marshall B.Rosenberg	Huaxia Publishing House
5	15	9787108042453	201209	We Three	Yang Jiang	SDX Joint Publishing Company
13	16	9787540468798	201409	Take It Easy	Da Bing	Hunan Literature & Art Press
22	17	9787549550173	201401	Seeing Off	Long Yingtai	Guangxi Normal University Press
15	18	9787540472238	201507	May You	Da Bing	Hunan Literature & Art Press
12	19	9787540476892	201607	Goodwill	Da Bing	Hunan Literature & Art Press
Not Ranked	20	9787020130702	201708	The Reader (Vol.1)	Dong Qing	People’s Literature Publishing House
26	21	9787508684604	201801	Vision	Wu Jun	CITIC Publishing House Co.,Ltd
16	22	9787540467784	201406	The Art of Speaking of Kevin Tsai	Kevin Tsai	Hunan Literature & Art Press
17	23	9787530216712	201704	A Unique Pig	Wang Xiaobo	Beijing October Art & Literature Publishing House
24	24	9787549550159	201401	My Child, Just Take Your Time	Long Yingtai	Guangxi Normal University Press
21	25	9787530214787	201704	The Stories of the Sahara	Echo	Beijing October Art & Literature Publishing House
Not Ranked	26	9787020130726	201708	The Reader (Vol.3)	Dong Qing	People’s Literature Publishing House
Not Ranked	27	9787020130719	201708	The Reader (Vol.2)	Dong Qing	People’s Literature Publishing House
29	28	9787533951092	201712	What is EQ?	Li Xiaoyi	Zhejiang Literature & Art Press
18	29	9787508660752	201702	Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind	Yuval Noah Harari	CITIC Publishing House Co.,Ltd
Not Ranked	30	9787508682624	201710	The Decade of Surge with Big Fishes and Flooding Water	Wu Xiaobo	CITIC Publishing House Co.,Ltd

Foreign Author Fiction Bestsellers in China, Man 2018

April 2018 Ranking	May 2018 Ranking	ISBN	Release Date	Title (Translated)	Author	Author nationality	Chinese Publisher
1	1	9787544270878	201404	Miracles of the Namiya General Store	Higashino Keigo	Japan	Nan Hai Publishing Co.
2	2	9787208061644	200604	The Kite Runner	Khaled Hosseini	United States of America	Shanghai People’s Publishing House
4	3	9787550013247	201505	Ferryman	Claire McFall	Britain	Baihuazhou Literature & Art Publishing House
3	4	9787544291170	201708	One Hundred Years of Solitude (50th Anniversary Edition)	Gabriel García Márquez	Colombia	Nan Hai Publishing Co.
11	5	9787506394864	201709	Sophie’s World (New Edition)	Jostein Gaarder	Norway	The Writer’s Publishing House
6	6	9787550024212	201709	Trespassers	Claire McFall	Britain	Baihuazhou Literature & Art Publishing House
7	7	9787544291163	201708	Journey Under the Midnight Sun (2017 Version)	Higashino Keigo	Japan	Nan Hai Publishing Co.
14	8	9787544285148	201610	Malice	Higashino Keigo	Japan	Nan Hai Publishing Co.
8	9	9787544267618	201406	The Devotion of Suspect X	Higashino Keigo	Japan	Nan Hai Publishing Co.
5	10	9787539971810	201504	The Storied Life of A. J. Fikry	Gabrielle Zevin	United States of America	Jiangsu Literature & Art Press
13	11	9787540455958	201206	The Shadow Thief	Marc Levy	France	Hunan Literature & Art Press
16	12	9787539983295	201510	Foundation	Isaac Asimov	United States of America	Jiangsu Literature & Art Press
10	13	9787544277617	201506	Love in the Time of Cholera	Gabriel García Márquez	Colombia	Nan Hai Publishing Co.
15	14	9787544291224	201708	After School (2017 Version)	Higashino Keigo	Japan	Nan Hai Publishing Co.
17	15	9787539982830	201506	Everything I Never Told You	Celeste Ng	United States of America	Jiangsu Literature & Art Press
9	16	9787532742929	200707	Norwegian Wood	Haruki Murakami	Japan	Shanghai Translation Publishing House
Not Ranked	17	9787544760874	201610	20,000 Leagues Under the Sea	Jules Verne	France	Yilin Press
Not Ranked	18	9787544281102	201601	Newcomer	Higashino Keigo	Japan	Nan Hai Publishing Co.
20	19	9787544258210	201710	Naoko	Higashino Keigo	Japan	Nan Hai Publishing Co.
Not Ranked	20	9787020138746	201804	Origin	Dan Brown	United States of America	People’s Literature Publishing House

Foreign Author Nonfiction Bestsellers in China, May 2018

April 2018 Ranking	May 2018 Ranking	ISBN	Release Date	Title (Translated)	Author	Author nationality	Chinese Publisher
2	1	9787508684031	201712	Principles	Ray Dalio	United States of America	CITIC Publishing House Co.,Ltd
Not Ranked	2	9787550268517	201607	Positive Discipline	Jane Nelsen	United States of America	Beijing Union Publishing Co., Ltd.
3	3	9787535732309	200111	A Brief History of Time	Stephen W.Hawking	Britain	Hunan Science & Technology Press
4	4	9787559407634	201803	Furiously Happy: A Funny Book About Horrible Things	Jenny Lawson	United States of America	Jiangsu Literature & Art Press
1	5	9787514219203	201709	The Willpower Instinct (New Edition)	Kelly McGonigal	United States of America	Cultural Development Publishing House
6	6	9787508086156	201511	Nonviolent Communication	Marshall B.Rosenberg	United States of America	Huaxia Publishing House
8	7	9787508672069	201701	Homo Deus: A Brief History of Tomorrow	Yuval Noah Harari	Israel	CITIC Publishing House Co.,Ltd
Not Ranked	8	9787220102912	201709	Rich Dad, Poor Dad	Robert T.Kiyosaki	United States of America	Sichuan People’s Publishing House
11	9	9787108009821	199807	1587, a Year of No Significance	Ray Huang	United States of America	SDX Joint Publishing Company
5	10	9787301109489	200610	A Global History: From Prehistory to the 21st Century (Vol.1)	L. S. Stavrianos	United States of America	Peking University Press
9	11	9787535733597	200202	The Universe in a Nutshell	Stephen W.Hawking	Britain	Hunan Science & Technology Press
7	12	9787301110522	200610	A Global History: From Prehistory to the 21st Century (Vol.2)	L. S. Stavrianos	United States of America	Peking University Press
10	13	9787514208788	201307	The Willpower Instinct (Hardcover)	Kelly McGonigal	United States of America	Cultural Development Publishing House
12	14	9787508660752	201702	Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind	Yuval Noah Harari	Israel	CITIC Publishing House Co.,Ltd
17	15	9787508650890	201505	Who Moved My Cheese?	Spencer Johnson	United States of America	CITIC Publishing House Co.,Ltd
14	16	9787544762885	201604	84, Charing Cross Road	Helene Hanff	United States of America	Yilin Press
13	17	9787513903509	201411	Jerusalem: The Biography	Simon Sebag Montefiore	Britain	Democracy and Construction Press
16	18	9787544760850	201701	Michelangelo / Tolstoy / Beethoven	Romain Rolland	France	Yilin Press
15	19	9787550216495	201308	A Brief History of Time in Graphic	Stephen W.Hawking	Britain	Beijing Union Publishing Co., Ltd.
19	20	9787559414311	201802	Buddhist Style: How to Be Happy	Kusanagi Ryushun	Japan	Jiangsu Literature & Art Press

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Notes on the Charts

OpenBook is a privately owned industry-data research firm based in Beijing. It functions somewhat as Nielsen and NDP do from the West, and Nielsen Book Research International has worked with OpenBook in Asian operations.

Trajectory, based near Boston, is an importer of Western-language ebooks and audiobooks into China. Trajectory is also helping China’s largest publishers export their books and audiobooks through a proprietary global ebook distribution network that includes hundreds of retailers as well as library and school distributors.

This data is estimated by OpenBook to represent some 30 to 40 percent of the total sales activity in China. OpenBook draws point-of-sale data from a total 3,435 stores located in 1,410 cities. These stores include:

• Traditional bookstores
• Supermarkets
• Campus bookstores
• “Professional” stores, said to be small stores with a specific industrial or trade focus
• Airport stores

In addition, OpenBook is drawing data from online bookstores of three main types:

• The “Tmall” stores of Alibaba (Tmall is described as a marketplace of companies that create storefronts online to sell products including books)
• The “JingDong” Stores of JD.com (similar to Tmall as a marketplace of both individual companies and bookstores operated by JD.com)
• Ten independent online bookselling retailers

China has some 500 or more publishers in operation today. Most of them, Trajectory CEO James Bryant clarifies, are government-owned. Private publishers are required to purchase ISBNs for their titles from a publishing company that is government-owned—which, in other words, creates a system in which all ISBNs are in one way or another registered through government channels. The government approves each book published in China.