At Givenchy in Shanghai, August 28. Image – Getty iStockphoto: Robert Way
By Porter Anderson, Editor-in-Chief | @Porter_Anderson
Keigo Higashino, the Perennial Charts Success
With students getting the summer’s recommended reading under their belts in July, August saw China’s readership turning to vacation-time contemporary fiction, and this resulted in four popular novels arriving on the charts for the first time:
‘You Are My Glory’
- You Are My Glory by Gu Man, ranked No. 5, mainly powered by a hit television adaptation: You are My Glory was the only one of the first-time books on the list this month after spending more than two years on the market, a demonstration of the energy that television exposure provides
- Always Have, Always Will by Zhang Jiajia, published in August and quickly arriving at No. 11
- The Nameless Town by the ever-popular and prolific Japanese author Keigo Higashino, published in June and entering the list at No. 23
- Doll by Qin Ming, published in August and moving onto the chart at No. 30
Indeed, the through line here is the arrival of new works from authors well established with the Chinese consumer base.
‘Always Have, Always Will’
By contrast, our associates at Beijing OpenBook point out that Zhang’s Always Have, Always Will is the author’s first new title in three years. But the research team’s Rainy Liu points to the 38 consecutive months that Zhang’s Moments We Shared has been on the list since its release—always in the Top 10. That staying power is in part fueled by shares of passages from his book on various social media and in short videos.
Higashino—who’s known to have several releases in a year—is easily the biggest producer of the group. And his new The Nameless Town is reported to be the start of a series, the “Kamio Detective Collection.” With everything pointing to the new book and the series as likely hits, the OpenBook team points out that the new title is following a distinctive pattern frequently seen in Higashino’s work, in that it’s finding its traction first in physical bookstores.
‘The Nameless Town’
And like Higashino’s book, Qin’s Doll has the readers’ fondness for a series behind it. It’s the third of a series called “Forensic Qinming. The first installment is The Condemned. The second book was The Forgotten, released in 2020. An interesting element of this one, though, is that the series’ starter entered the bestseller lists in 2017 (The Condemned). And the series hasn’t charted again since then until now.
So Doll is a return to the charts for a series that has been missing in the bestseller ranks for four years—surely a big satisfaction to Qin Ming after so much time. As Liu puts it, the OpenBook team sees part of this story being a change of publisher. Qin is new to Beijing Union Publishing. And it’s the energy of that new publishing house, the researchers suggest, that’s driving what they term a revitalization of the series’ intellectual property.
‘Hi, I’m China’ Volume 2
By contrast, the nonfiction list in August shows the typical sluggish movement that—by comparison to many markets in the world—can make the Chinese bestseller array look glacial in its evolution. Only one book entered the nonfiction ranks anew, that one being called, rather quaintly, Hi, I’m China (Volume 2). And it’s in at a low slot, No. 24. The book is a popular-science treatment of geography.
“As soon as its publication, the publisher planned a series of marketing activities in physical bookstores and on social media and short video platforms,” the OpenBook group tells us. CITIC Publishing House capitalized on corporate group purchase arrangements, which helped drive the title’s arrival on the list.
And the children’s list moved even more slowly in August, with no new titles charting amid the natural summer slump in recommendations for kids amid the educational system’s hiatus.
Below, then, are OpenBook’s overall lists from August of bestsellers in fiction, nonfiction, and children’s books, followed by its lists of bestselling fiction and nonfiction in China by authors from outside the country.
At the end of our article, as always, you’ll find notes on how the lists are constructed.
At Huawei in Shanghai, August 11. Image – Getty iStockphoto: Robert Way
OpenBook’s Fiction Bestsellers, August 2021
| July 2021 Ranking | August 2021 Ranking | ISBN | Release Date | Title (Translated) | Author | Chinese Publisher |
| 2 | 1 | 9787530215593 | 2017-06 | To Live | Yu hua | Beijing October Art & Literature Publishing House |
| 8 | 2 | 9787540487645 | 2018-06 | Moments We Shared | Zhang Jiajia | Hunan Literature & Art Press |
| 20 | 3 | 9787506331746 | 2005-05 | Distant Savior | Dou Dou | The Writer’s Publishing House |
| 9 | 4 | 9787544291170 | 2017-08 | One Hundred Years of Solitude (50th Anniversary Edition) | Gabriel García Márquez | Nan Hai Publishing Co. |
| Not Ranked | 5 | 9787510874451 | 2019-05 | You are My Glory | Gu Man | Jiuzhou Press |
| Not Ranked | 6 | 9787530219218 | 2019-02 | Life is Like Ocean | Mai Jia | Beijing October Art & Literature Publishing House |
| 3 | 7 | 9787536692930 | 2008-01 | The Three-Body Problem | Liu Cixin | Chongqing Publishing House |
| 7 | 8 | 9787020002207 | 1998-07 | Dream of the Red Chamber | Cao Xueqin | People’s Literature Publishing House |
| 4 | 9 | 9787536693968 | 2008-05 | The Dark Forest | Liu Cixin | Chongqing Publishing House |
| 5 | 10 | 9787229030933 | 2010-11 | Death’s End | Liu Cixin | Chongqing Publishing House |
| Not Ranked | 11 | 9787572602825 | 2021-08 | Always Have, Always Will | Zhang Jiajia | Hunan Literature & Art Press |
| 17 | 12 | 9787544291163 | 2017-08 | Journey Under the Midnight Sun (2017 Edition) | Keigo Higashino | Nan Hai Publishing Co. |
| 1 | 13 | 9787500601593 | 2005-08 | Red Crag | Luo Guangbin,Yang Yiyan | China Youth Press |
| 13 | 14 | 9787020090006 | 2012-07 | Fortress Besieged | Qian Zhongshu | People’s Literature Publishing House |
| 16 | 15 | 9787555285298 | 2020-03 | Hidden Love | Zhu Yi | Qingdao Publishing House |
| 6 | 16 | 9787559455000 | 2021-06 | First Frost (The End) | Zhu Yi | Jiangsu Literature & Art Press |
| 15 | 17 | 9787544766500 | 2017-01 | To Kill a Mockingbird | Harper Lee | Yilin Press |
| 22 | 18 | 9787530221099 | 2021-02 | Wencheng | Yu hua | Beijing October Art & Literature Publishing House |
| Not Ranked | 19 | 9787544298995 | 2020-09 | Miracles of the Namiya General Store (2020 Edition) | Keigo Higashino | Nan Hai Publishing Co. |
| 12 | 20 | 9787020008735 | 1998-07 | Journey to the West | Wu Cheng’en | People’s Literature Publishing House |
| 24 | 21 | 9787544285148 | 2016-10 | Malice | Keigo Higashino | Nan Hai Publishing Co. |
| Not Ranked | 22 | 9787539983295 | 2015-10 | Foundation | Isaac Asimov | Jiangsu Literature & Art Press |
| Not Ranked | 23 | 9787544297905 | 2021-06 | The Nameless Town | Keigo Higashino | Nan Hai Publishing Co. |
| Not Ranked | 24 | 9787020164776 | 2020-07 | A Late Bloomer | Mo Yan | People’s Literature Publishing House |
| 11 | 25 | 9787559452788 | 2020-12 | First Frost | Zhu Yi | Jiangsu Literature & Art Press |
| Not Ranked | 26 | 9787521210033 | 2020-09 | Sit for a While Tea House | Jia Pingwa | The Writer’s Publishing House |
| Not Ranked | 27 | 9787544297059 | 2020-03 | Love in the Time of Cholera (3 Million Sold Anniversary Edition) | Gabriel García Márquez | Nan Hai Publishing Co. |
| 28 | 28 | 9787544267618 | 2014-06 | The Devotion of Suspect X | Keigo Higashino | Nan Hai Publishing Co. |
| Not Ranked | 29 | 9787544291224 | 2017-08 | After School (2017 Edition) | Keigo Higashino | Nan Hai Publishing Co. |
| Not Ranked | 30 | 9787559654465 | 2021-08 | Doll | Qin Ming | Beijing Union Publishing Co., Ltd. |
OpenBook’s Nonfiction Bestsellers, March 2021
| July 2021 Ranking | August 2021 Ranking | ISBN | Release Date | Title (Translated) | Author | Chinese Publisher |
| 1 | 1 | 9787201161693 | 2020-08 | Counselling for Toads: A Psychological Adventure | Robert de Board | Tianjin People’s Publishing House |
| 26 | 2 | 9787111495482 | 2015-04 | The Courage to Be Disliked | Ichiro Kishimi | China Machine Press |
| 2 | 3 | 9787020116133 | 2016-06 | Red Star Over China | Edgar Snow | People’s Literature Publishing House |
| 17 | 4 | 9787508095226 | 2018-09 | Nonviolent Communication | Marshall B.Rosenberg | Huaxia Publishing House |
| 11 | 5 | 9787544276986 | 2019-10 | Educated: A Memoir | Tara Westover | Nan Hai Publishing Co. |
| 5 | 6 | 9787549632725 | 2020-09 | 30 Minutes of Chinese History in Cartoon (5) | Chen Lei | Wenhui Publishing House |
| 6 | 7 | 9787539999883 | 2017-03 | 30 Minutes of Chinese History in Cartoon | Chen Lei | Jiangsu Literature & Art Press |
| 8 | 8 | 9787544387866 | 2019-09 | 30 Minutes of Chinese History in Cartoon (4) | Chen Lei | Hainan Publishing House |
| 9 | 9 | 9787544382045 | 2018-05 | 30 Minutes of Chinese History in Cartoon (2) | Chen Lei | Hainan Publishing House |
| 10 | 10 | 9787544382052 | 2018-05 | 30 Minutes of Chinese History in Cartoon (3) | Chen Lei | Hainan Publishing House |
| 16 | 11 | 9787572201882 | 2020-08 | The Value | Zhang Lei | Zhejiang Education Press Co.,Ltd |
| 22 | 12 | 9787547739549 | 2021-05 | 30 Minutes of World History in Cartoon (2) | Chen Lei | Beijing daily publishing house |
| 4 | 13 | 9787557024413 | 2021-05 | If History were a Group of Cats: Prosperity of the Tang Dynasty | Fei Zhi | Guangdong Tourism Publishing House |
| Not Ranked | 14 | 9787508660752 | 2017-02 | Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind | Yuval Noah Harari | CITIC Publishing House Co.,Ltd |
| 29 | 15 | 9787540489304 | 2019-01 | Danshari | Eiko Yamashita | Hunan Literature & Art Press |
| 18 | 16 | 9787559418111 | 2018-04 | 30 Minutes of World History in Cartoon | Chen Lei | Jiangsu Literature & Art Press |
| 12 | 17 | 9787557023041 | 2020-10 | If History were a Group of Cats: Sui and Tang Dynasty | Fei Zhi | Guangdong Tourism Publishing House |
| 23 | 18 | 9787101127867 | 2017-09 | Translation and Annotation of the Analects of Confucius | 0 | Zhonghua Book Company |
| 13 | 19 | 9787559313652 | 2017-09 | If History were a Group of Cats: Xia, Shang and Western Zhou Dynasty | Fei Zhi | Heilongjiang Fine Arts Press |
| 7 | 20 | 9787559643926 | 2020-08 | Master of Learning | Li Zheyuan | Beijing Union Publishing Co., Ltd. |
| 28 | 21 | 9787532179862 | 2021-06 | Big Girl | Yang Lan | Shanghai Literature & Art Press |
| 14 | 22 | 9787540484880 | 2018-01 | The Gay Genius: The Life and Times of Su Tungpo | Lin Yutang | Hunan Literature & Art Press |
| 27 | 23 | 9787559639134 | 2020-06 | The Rise of China | Jin Yinan | Beijing Union Publishing Co., Ltd. |
| Not Ranked | 24 | 9787521731224 | 2021-06 | Hi I’m China (2) | Institute for Planets | CITIC Publishing House Co.,Ltd |
| 15 | 25 | 9787559330260 | 2018-06 | If History were a Group of Cats: The Spring-autumn and Warring State Period | Fei Zhi | Heilongjiang Fine Arts Press |
| Not Ranked | 26 | 9787521210255 | 2020-08 | The Tough Brilliance | Jin Yinan | The Writer’s Publishing House |
| Not Ranked | 27 | 9787559620125 | 2018-05 | Genius on the Left, Lunatic on the Right (Full Version)(New Edition) | Gao Ming | Beijing Union Publishing Co., Ltd. |
| Not Ranked | 28 | 9787557021856 | 2020-05 | If History were a Group of Cats: Wei, Jin and the Northern and Southern Dynasties | Fei Zhi | Guangdong Tourism Publishing House |
| 20 | 29 | 9787557017477 | 2019-02 | If History were a Group of Cats: Qin, Chu, Western Han and Eastern Han Dynasty | Fei Zhi | Guangdong Tourism Publishing House |
| Not Ranked | 30 | 9787521701579 | 2019-09 | Hi I’m China | Institute for Planets,The China Society on Tibet Plateau | CITIC Publishing House Co.,Ltd |
OpenBook’s Children’s Bestsellers, March 2021
| July 2021 Ranking | August 2021 Ranking | ISBN | Release Date | Title (Translated) | Author | Chinese Publisher |
| 2 | 1 | 9787534633362 | 2005-05 | Bronze and Sunflower | Cao Wenxuan | Jiangsu Juvenile and Children’s Publishing House |
| 7 | 2 | 9787558900648 | 2017-07 | Winter of Three Hairs (With Chinese Pinyin) | Zhang Leping | Juvenile & Children’s Publishing House |
| 9 | 3 | 9787536574397 | 2016-01 | Mi Xiaoquan’s Brain-teaser: Clever Little Prodigy | Bei Mao | Sichuan Juvenile and Children’s Publishing House |
| 20 | 4 | 9787521726473 | 2020-12 | A Dog Named Money | Bodo Schafer | CITIC Publishing House Co.,Ltd |
| 13 | 5 | 9787536574366 | 2016-01 | Mi Xiaoquan’s Brain-teaser: Stratego | Bei Mao | Sichuan Juvenile and Children’s Publishing House |
| 1 | 6 | 9787534618727 | 1998-07 | The Straw Hut | Cao Wenxuan | Jiangsu Juvenile and Children’s Publishing House |
| 12 | 7 | 9787536593749 | 2020-05 | Mi Xiaoquan’s Brain-teaser: Game of the Wise | Bei Mao | Sichuan Juvenile and Children’s Publishing House |
| 14 | 8 | 9787536593756 | 2020-05 | Mi Xiaoquan’s Brain-teaser: Password Discovery | Bei Mao | Sichuan Juvenile and Children’s Publishing House |
| 19 | 9 | 9787536574380 | 2016-01 | Mi Xiaoquan’s Brain-teaser: Who’s the Smart Guy? | Bei Mao | Sichuan Juvenile and Children’s Publishing House |
| 17 | 10 | 9787536593442 | 2020-05 | Mi Xiaoquan’s Brain-teaser: The Magic Lamp | Bei Mao | Sichuan Juvenile and Children’s Publishing House |
| 18 | 11 | 9787536574373 | 2016-01 | Mi Xiaoquan’s Brain-teaser: The Great Adventure of the Castle | Bei Mao | Sichuan Juvenile and Children’s Publishing House |
| 16 | 12 | 9787536593459 | 2020-05 | Mi Xiaoquan’s Brain-teaser: ‘Have a Meal’ Restaurant | Bei Mao | Sichuan Juvenile and Children’s Publishing House |
| 4 | 13 | 9787559706522 | 2018-05 | The Foolish and the Unhappy (With Chinese Pinyin) | Ren Rongrong | Zhejiang Juvenile and Children’s Publishing House |
| Not Ranked | 14 | 9787536587694 | 2018-04 | Mi Xiaoquan School Experience: I am a Pupil | Bei Mao | Sichuan Juvenile and Children’s Publishing House |
| 3 | 15 | 9787544288590 | 2018-06 | Totto-Chan: The Little Girl at the Window (2018 Edition) | Tetsuko Kuroyanagi | Nan Hai Publishing Co. |
| Not Ranked | 16 | 9787536587724 | 2018-04 | Mi Xiaoquan School Experience: Look at This Family | Bei Mao | Sichuan Juvenile and Children’s Publishing House |
| Not Ranked | 17 | 9787536587717 | 2018-04 | Mi Xiaoquan School Experience: A Dog Called Rat | Bei Mao | Sichuan Juvenile and Children’s Publishing House |
| Not Ranked | 18 | 9787536587700 | 2018-04 | Mi Xiaoquan School Experience: My Good Friend Tie Tou | Bei Mao | Sichuan Juvenile and Children’s Publishing House |
| 6 | 19 | 9787533299224 | 2018-10 | Fantastic Mr. Fox | Roald Dahl,Quentin Blake | Tomorrow Publishing House |
| 8 | 20 | 9787532767373 | 2014-08 | Charlotte’s web | Elwyn Brooks White | Shanghai Translation Publishing House |
| 28 | 21 | 9787536587731 | 2018-04 | Mi Xiaoquan School Experience: Trouble of the New Deskmate | Bei Mao | Sichuan Juvenile and Children’s Publishing House |
| Not Ranked | 22 | 9787536587793 | 2018-04 | Mi Xiaoquan School Experience: Comedy King Comes | Bei Mao | Sichuan Juvenile and Children’s Publishing House |
| Not Ranked | 23 | 9787536587755 | 2018-04 | Mi Xiaoquan School Experience: Secrets of Nature | Bei Mao | Sichuan Juvenile and Children’s Publishing House |
| 29 | 24 | 9787536587762 | 2018-04 | Mi Xiaoquan School Experience: If I Have a Time Machine | Bei Mao | Sichuan Juvenile and Children’s Publishing House |
| 30 | 25 | 9787536587748 | 2018-04 | Mi Xiaoquan School Experience: A Lot of Fun | Bei Mao | Sichuan Juvenile and Children’s Publishing House |
| Not Ranked | 26 | 9787536596313 | 2019-12 | Mi Xiaoquan’s Idioms Comic Games | Bei Mao | Sichuan Juvenile and Children’s Publishing House |
| Not Ranked | 27 | 9787536588110 | 2018-04 | Mi Xiaoquan School Experience: Undercover Deskmate | Bei Mao | Sichuan Juvenile and Children’s Publishing House |
| Not Ranked | 28 | 9787533274269 | 2013-08 | Guess How Much I Love You | Sam McBratney,Anita Jeram | Tomorrow Publishing House |
| Not Ranked | 29 | 9787536588103 | 2018-04 | Mi Xiaoquan School Experience: The Future Me | Bei Mao | Sichuan Juvenile and Children’s Publishing House |
| Not Ranked | 30 | 9787536588202 | 2017-11 | Mi Xiaoquan School Experience: Meet Mr.Cat | Bei Mao | Sichuan Juvenile and Children’s Publishing House |
Foreign Author Fiction Bestsellers, March 2021
| July 2021 Ranking | August 2021 Ranking | ISBN | Release Date | Title (Translated) | Author | Author nationality | Chinese Publisher |
| 1 | 1 | 9787544291170 | 2017-08 | One Hundred Years of Solitude (50th Anniversary Edition) | Gabriel García Márquez | Colombia | Nan Hai Publishing Co. |
| 4 | 2 | 9787544291163 | 2017-08 | Journey Under the Midnight Sun (2017 Edition) | Keigo Higashino | Japan | Nan Hai Publishing Co. |
| 3 | 3 | 9787544766500 | 2017-01 | To Kill a Mockingbird | Harper Lee | United States of America | Yilin Press |
| 8 | 4 | 9787544298995 | 2020-09 | Miracles of the Namiya General Store (2020 Edition) | Keigo Higashino | Japan | Nan Hai Publishing Co. |
| 5 | 5 | 9787544285148 | 2016-10 | Malice | Keigo Higashino | Japan | Nan Hai Publishing Co. |
| 7 | 6 | 9787539983295 | 2015-10 | Foundation | Isaac Asimov | United States of America | Jiangsu Literature & Art Press |
| 11 | 7 | 9787544297905 | 2021-06 | The Nameless Town | Keigo Higashino | Japan | Nan Hai Publishing Co. |
| 17 | 8 | 9787544297059 | 2020-03 | Love in the Time of Cholera (3 Million Sold Anniversary Edition) | Gabriel García Márquez | Colombia | Nan Hai Publishing Co. |
| 6 | 9 | 9787544267618 | 2014-06 | The Devotion of Suspect X | Keigo Higashino | Japan | Nan Hai Publishing Co. |
| 13 | 10 | 9787208061644 | 2021-03 | The Kite Runner | Khaled Hosseini | United States of America | Shanghai People’s Publishing House |
| 10 | 11 | 9787544291224 | 2017-08 | After School (2017 Edition) | Keigo Higashino | Japan | Nan Hai Publishing Co. |
| 12 | 12 | 9787532175512 | 2020-05 | 13 Steps | Kazuaki Takano | Japan | Shanghai Literature & Art Press |
| 15 | 13 | 9787544281102 | 2016-01 | Newcomer | Keigo Higashino | Japan | Nan Hai Publishing Co. |
| 20 | 14 | 9787540485337 | 2018-03 | Tsubaki Stationery Store | Ito Ogawa | Japan | Hunan Literature & Art Press |
| 16 | 15 | 9787532776771 | 2018-03 | Norwegian Wood (30th Anniversary Edition) | Haruki Murakami | Japan | Shanghai Translation Publishing House |
| Not Ranked | 16 | 9787550013247 | 2015-05 | Ferryman | Claire McFall | Britain | Baihuazhou Literature & Art Publishing House |
| 2 | 17 | 9787506394864 | 2017-09 | Sophie’s World (New Edition) | Jostein Gaarder | Norway | The Writer’s Publishing House |
| Not Ranked | 18 | 9787544281331 | 2015-12 | The Red Finger | Keigo Higashino | Japan | Nan Hai Publishing Co. |
| Not Ranked | 19 | 9787530221297 | 2021-05 | The Virtual Clown | Keigo Higashino | Japan | Beijing October Art & Literature Publishing House |
| Not Ranked | 20 | 9787201116693 | 2017-05 | My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She’s Sorry | Fredrik Backman | Sweden | Tianjin People’s Publishing House |
Foreign Author Nonfiction Bestsellers, March 2021
| July 2021 Ranking | August 2021 Ranking | ISBN | Release Date | Title (Translated) | Author | Author nationality | Chinese Publisher |
| 1 | 1 | 9787201161693 | 2020-08 | Counselling for Toads: A Psychological Adventure | Robert de Board | Britain | Tianjin People’s Publishing House |
| 6 | 2 | 9787111495482 | 2020-03 | The Courage to Be Disliked | Ichiro Kishimi | Japan | China Machine Press |
| 2 | 3 | 9787020116133 | 2017-06 | Red Star Over China | Edgar Snow | United States of America | People’s Literature Publishing House |
| 4 | 4 | 9787508095226 | 2018-09 | Nonviolent Communication | Marshall B.Rosenberg | United States of America | Huaxia Publishing House |
| 3 | 5 | 9787544276986 | 2019-10 | Educated: A Memoir | Tara Westover | United States of America | Nan Hai Publishing Co. |
| 11 | 6 | 9787540471194 | 2019-02 | Relationship: Bridge to the Soul | Christoper Moon | Canada | Hunan Literature & Art Press |
| 14 | 7 | 9787520711531 | 2019-11 | A Compass to Fulfillment | Kazuo Inamori | Japan | Orient Press |
| 12 | 8 | 9787508660752 | 2017-02 | Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind | Yuval Noah Harari | Israel | CITIC Publishing House Co.,Ltd |
| 7 | 9 | 9787540489304 | 2019-01 | Danshari | Eiko Yamashita | Japan | Hunan Literature & Art Press |
| 10 | 10 | 9787111635574 | 2019-10 | The Working Methods of Kazuo Inamori | Kazuo Inamori | Japan | China Machine Press |
| 17 | 11 | 9787220114045 | 2019-07 | Rich Dad Poor Dad | Robert T.Kiyosaki | United States of America | Sichuan People’s Publishing House |
| 9 | 12 | 9787547734315 | 2019-09 | Life is Worth Living | Tsuneko Nakamura,Hiromi Okuda | Japan | Beijing daily publishing house |
| Not Ranked | 13 | 9787549635573 | 2021-07 | Talktive People Talk Like That | Moeko Ono | Japan | Wenhui Publishing House |
| 20 | 14 | 9787115536198 | 2020-05 | Heart: Kazuo Inamori’s Philosophy of Life | Kazuo Inamori | Japan | Posts & Telecommunications Publishing House |
| 16 | 15 | 9787210096528 | 2017-09 | Mindset: The New Psychology of Success | Carol S.Dweck | United States of America | Jiangxi People’s Publishing House |
| 18 | 16 | 9787535732309 | 2001-11 | A Brief History of Time | Stephen W.Hawking | Britain | Hunan Science & Technology Press |
| Not Ranked | 17 | 9787532772322 | 2016-08 | Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies | Jared Diamond | United States of America | Shanghai Translation Publishing House |
| Not Ranked | 18 | 9787521728330 | 2021-03 | How to Avoid a Climate Disaster: The Solutions We Have and the Breakthroughs We Need | Bill Gates | United States of America | CITIC Publishing House Co.,Ltd |
| Not Ranked | 19 | 9787508684031 | 2017-12 | Principles | Ray Dalio | United States of America | CITIC Publishing House Co.,Ltd |
| Not Ranked | 20 | 9787508687216 | 2018-08 | Poor Economics: A Radical Rethinking of the Way to Fight Global Poverty | Abhijit V.Banerjee,Esther Duflo | United States of America | CITIC Publishing House Co.,Ltd |
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. With authoritative data and information resources, OpenBook is able to deliver consulting service to partners who would like to explore the Chinese book market and identify suitable partners.
Jiang Boyan LLC advises authors and right’s holders on global intellectual property and investment opportunities.As of January 1, 2020, OpenBook monitored more than 10,000 online and offline bookstores.
The online channel includes digital retailers such as large self-operated online stores, platform stores, and small- and medium-sized stores. The offline channels include 4,495 bookstores. Coverage includes most of the state-owned and influential privately owned bookstores in 30 provinces, municipalities, and autonomous regions. Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Tibet are not included in OpenBook’s system.
In 2019, OpenBook tracked around 71.72 billion RMB in sales (US$10.1 billion).
Retail outlets 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 500 or more publishers in operation today. Most of them, Jiang Boyan CEO James Bryant clarifies, are government-owned. Private publishers are required to generate 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.
More China bestseller reports from Publishing Perspectives are here.
More from us on the coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on international book publishing is here.