China Bestsellers in December: What the Kids Are Reading

In Feature Articles by Porter Anderson

With adults busy following the animated adaptation of ‘The Three-Body Problem,’ we look in on the children’s chart for December.

In Qingdao, in China’s eastern Shandong province. Image – Getty iStockphoto: Wirestock

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

Dinosaurs, Manga Psychology, and ‘Butt Detective’
You’ll recall that in November, the Liu Cixin “Three-Body Problem” trilogy—properly known as the “Remembrance of Earth’s Past” series—overtook the fiction charts in China in anticipation of the release of the first television-series adaptation to be released, an animated production from the Shanghai-based Bilibili (sometimes called “B Site”).

A poster for the Chinese animated adaptation of ‘

Having begun airing in December, that program has, as expected, reiterated the dominance of the trilogy at the top of Beijing OpenBook’s fiction bestseller lists in China for the end of the year. A programming note: In coming days, we plan to bring you an annual report with the help of our OpenBook associates on the 2022 market in China.

We’re told that the animated adaptation has received rather mixed reviews, actually, though it can be expected to have a strong audience during the Lunar New Year holiday, which began on Sunday (January 22). The fact that the animated telling of the tale has started with the second book in the trilogy (for pacing and conflict, apparently), has left many who had not read the first book in the series a bit lost, reports tell us.

So readers in China, we understand, have focused again on the original books in the trilogy to try to figure out what’s going on—as many of us in the international community await a forthcoming live-action adaptation of The Three-Body Problem led by Bighead Littlehead for Netflix with Minkie Spiro and Derek Tsang directing.

‘Manga Elementary School Student Psychology’

This gives us a chance to duck down the charts to the children’s book listings from OpenBook, while fiction fans debate the merits of the Liu animation and nonfiction fans remain charmed by those humorous retellings of Chinese history, particularly the “If History were a Group of Cats” series from Fei Zhi. (It’s springtime for Guangdong Tourism Publishing House.)

In the children’s list, we see the top bestsellers repeated from November:

  • Manga Elementary School Student Psychology by Han Tu is ranked No. 1
  • Butt Detective: Detective and the Fraud by Troll Troll is ranked No. 2
  • Butt Detective: Disappeared Popular Dessert by Troll Troll is ranked No. 3

‘Butt Detective and the Fraud’

The “Butt Detective” series, in fact, seated itself in seven of the Top 30 slots of the children’s chart in December. Another series, “Mi Xiaquan,” took 12 slots in the rankings, forming a convincing dominating position for these two series.

Our OpenBook associates point out that similarities in sales patterns indicate that both series are being bought as series—in other words, parents will buy the complete load of “Butt Detective” books (Beijing Union Publishing) and the full series of “Mi Xiaoquan” books (Sichuan Juvenile and Children’s Publishing House).

‘Butt Detective: Disappeared Popular Dessert’

The “Butt Detective” books are classified as picture books. Others in that category getting strong consumer attention are:

  • Guess How Much I Love You by Sam McBratney and Anita Jeram, ranked No. 10
  • Let’s Get Mung Beans, Momma! by Zeng Yangqing and Wan Huaguo, ranked No. 25
  • Tyrannosaurus Series (seven volumes) by Tatsuya Miyanishi, ranked No. 27

Aside from the message that butts and dinosaurs are a sure bet among young readers pretty much everywhere on Earth, it’s interesting to note a trend in instructive comics, represented by Manga Elementary School Student Psychology, Ultraman Series Photo Book (55th Anniversary) and Science Comics Loved by Pupils (four volumes). These all are classified as picture books.

‘Our Chinese New Year’s Eve’

In terms of textually led books (albeit with many pictures, we’re assured), leading titles on the chart in December included:

  • Fast Reading for Age 4-5 (a story collection) by Yang Qiduo, ranked No. 26
  • Our Chinese New Year’s Eve by He Jie, ranked No. 16 and jumping into the chart in preparation for the arrival of the Year of the Rabbit, obviously
  • Fantastic Mr. Fox by Roald Dahl and Quentin Blake, ranked No. 22
  • A Dog Named Money by Bodo Schafer, ranked No. 23

And we’ll have more for you on the difficult 2022 on China’s market soon, in our annual report.

Below, then, are OpenBook’s overall lists from December 2022 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.

OpenBook’s Fiction Bestsellers, December 2022
November 2022 Ranking December 2022 Ranking ISBN Release Date Title (Translated) Author Chinese Publisher
1 1 9787536692930 2008-01 The Three-Body Problem Liu Cixin Chongqing Publishing House
3 2 9787536693968 2008-05 The Dark Forest Liu Cixin Chongqing Publishing House
4 3 9787229030933 2010-11 Death’s End Liu Cixin Chongqing Publishing House
2 4 9787020139590 2019-06 The Last Quarter of the Moon Chi Zijian People’s Literature Publishing House
6 5 9787530221532 2021-10 To Live (2021 Edition) Yu hua Beijing October Art & Literature Publishing House
8 6 9787506331746 2005-05 Distant Savior Dou Dou The Writer’s Publishing House
Not Ranked 7 9787506394864 2017-09 Sophie’s World (New Edition) Jostein Gaarder The Writer’s Publishing House
13 8 9787532966363 2022-11 Cao Cao (3 volumes) Yi Zhongtian Shandong Literature & Art Press
10 9 9787544291170 2017-08 One Hundred Years of Solitude (50th Anniversary Edition) Gabriel García Márquez Nan Hai Publishing Co.
11 10 9787540487645 2018-06 Moments We Shared Zhang Jiajia Hunan Literature & Art Press
20 11 9787500601593 2005-08 Red Crag Luo Guangbin, Yang Yiyan China Youth Press
16 12 9787530219218 2019-02 A Wavy Life Mai Jia Beijing October Art & Literature Publishing House
12 13 9787530221396 2021-06 Ordinary Word (3 Volumes) (2021 Edition) Lu Yao Beijing October Art & Literature Publishing House
5 14 9787533969608 2022-09 Destiny Cai Chongda Zhejiang Literature & Art Press
19 15 9787020002207 1998-07 Dream of the Red Chamber Cao Xueqin People’s Literature Publishing House
15 16 9787513349437 2022-08 In The Beginning · Year Wang Shuo New Star Press Co.Ltd
29 17 9787505738478 2016-10 A Madman’s Diary Lu Xun China Friendship Publishing Company
17 18 9787020008735 1998-07 Journey to the West Wu Cheng’en People’s Literature Publishing House
24 19 9787544291163 2017-08 Journey Under the Midnight Sun (2017 Edition) Keigo Higashino Nan Hai Publishing Co.
18 20 9787533966102 2021-12 Life and Death are Wearing Me Out Mo Yan Zhejiang Literature & Art Press
Not Ranked 21 9787500680239 2009-01 Pioneering Liu Qing China Youth Press
27 22 9787530217962 2018-05 Cries in the Drizzle Yu hua Beijing October Art & Literature Publishing House
9 23 9787572608582 2022-10 Lychee in Chang’an Ma Boyong Hunan Literature & Art Press
Not Ranked 24 9787544297059 2020-03 Love in the Time of Cholera (3 Million Sold Anniversary Edition) Gabriel García Márquez Nan Hai Publishing Co.
26 25 9787506368698 20130-6 The World Under the Sky Dou Dou The Writer’s Publishing House
14 26 9787020167098 2021-07 Annees Anne Ernaux People’s Literature Publishing House
Not Ranked 27 9787506344791 2008-12 Street Wizards Feng Jicai The Writer’s Publishing House
21 28 9787544766500 2017-01 To Kill a Mockingbird Harper Lee Yilin Press
Not Ranked 29 9787530217054 2017-12 The Alchemist Paulo Coelho Beijing October Art & Literature Publishing House
22 30 9787020008728 1998-07 Romance of the Three Kingdoms Luo Guanzhong People’s Literature Publishing House

OpenBook’s Nonfiction Bestsellers, December 2022
November 2022 Ranking December 2022 Ranking ISBN Release Date Title (Translated) Author Chinese Publisher
6 1 9787520816199 2021-08 Impromptu speech Du Ying China Business Publishing House
4 2 9787111495482 2015-04 The Courage to Be Disliked Ichiro Kishimi China Machine Press
9 3 9787201161693 2020-08 Counselling for Toads: A Psychological Adventure Robert de Board Tianjin People’s Publishing House
12 4 9787555262800 2017-12 The Power of Insensitivity Junichi Watanabe Qingdao Publishing House
1 5 9787559664464 2022-10 Wish You Love Yourself Too Fang Qi Beijing Union Publishing Co., Ltd.
13 6 9787222204331 2021-11 Details of Law Luo Xiang Yunnan People’s Publishing House
16 7 9787208171336 2021-08 In the Affair: Chinese Government and Economic Development Lan Xiaohuan Shanghai People’s Publishing House
Not Ranked 8 9787532736553 2005-01 The Man Who Changed China: The Life and Legacy of Jiang Zemin Robert Lawrence Kuhn Shanghai Translation Publishing House
20 9 9787521603774 2019-08 The Faith as Premise of Freedom Luo Xiang China Legal Publishing House
5 10 9787561346259 2009-05 Yi Ching is Really to Understand Zeng Shiqiang Shaanxi Normal University Press
7 11 9787557028657 2022-10 If History were a Group of Cats: Southern Song, Jin and Yuan Dynasty Fei Zhi Guangdong Tourism Publishing House
Not Ranked 12 9787544276986 2019-10 Educated: A Memoir Tara Westover Nan Hai Publishing Co.
21 13 9787557027063 2022-04 If History were a Group of Cats: Song, Liao, Jin Dynasty and the Western Xia Regime Fei Zhi Guangdong Tourism Publishing House
2 14 9787547265727 2020-02 Impromptu Speeches He Liu Jilin Literature & History Press
29 15 9787508653389 2015-07 The Rape of Nanking: The Forgotten Holocaust of World War Ⅱ Iris Chang CITIC Publishing House Co.,Ltd
17 16 9787559313652 2017-09 If History were a Group of Cats: Xia, Shang and Western Zhou Dynasty Fei Zhi Heilongjiang Fine Arts Press
24 17 9787557025847 2021-11 If History were a Group of Cats: Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Fei Zhi Guangdong Tourism Publishing House
26 18 9787557024413 2021-05 If History were a Group of Cats: Prosperity of the Tang Dynasty Fei Zhi Guangdong Tourism Publishing House
18 19 9787559330260 2018-06 If History were a Group of Cats: The Spring-autumn and Warring State Period Fei Zhi Heilongjiang Fine Arts Press
19 20 9787521733679 2021-09 The Most Tender Upbringing: Be a Gentle but Steadfast Parent Oh Eun-young CITIC Publishing House Co.,Ltd
Not Ranked 21 9787108067227 2019-12 Fu Lei’s Letters for Home (Commemorative Edition) Fu Lei SDX Joint Publishing Company
22 22 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 23 9787111691020 2021-09 The Underlying Logic: How to See the Essence of Things Liu Run China Machine Press
30 24 9787557023041 2020-10 If History were a Group of Cats: Sui and Tang Dynasty Fei Zhi Guangdong Tourism Publishing House
25 25 9787557020149 2019-09 If History were a Group of Cats: Three Kingdoms Fei Zhi Guangdong Tourism Publishing House
Not Ranked 26 9787521736816 2022-01 Guns, Germs, and Steel Jared Diamond CITIC Publishing House Co.,Ltd
Not Ranked 27 9787020084357 2011-04 I and the Temple of Earth Shi Tiesheng People’s Literature Publishing House
28 28 9787557020132 2019-09 If History were a Group of Cats: The End of Eastern Han Dynasty Fei Zhi Guangdong Tourism Publishing House
Not Ranked 29 9787550285880 2016-10 The Complete Book of Dietary Therapy Shi Xiang Beijing Union Publishing Co., Ltd.
Not Ranked 30 9787557021856 2020-05 If History were a Group of Cats: Wei, Jin and the Northern and Southern Dynasties Fei Zhi Guangdong Tourism Publishing House

OpenBook’s Children’s Bestsellers, December 2022
November 2022 Ranking December 2022 Ranking ISBN Release Date Title (Translated) Author Chinese Publisher
1 1 9787218146768 2022-09 Manga Elementary School Student Psychology Han Tu Guangdong People’s Publishing House
2 2 9787559621337 2019-04 Butt Detective: Detective and the Fraud Troll Beijing Union Publishing Co., Ltd.
3 3 9787550286122 2016-11 Butt Detective: Disappeared Popular Dessert Troll Beijing Union Publishing Co., Ltd.
4 4 9787550286214 2016-11 Butt Detective: The Missing Lunch Box Troll Beijing Union Publishing Co., Ltd.
5 5 9787550286085 2016-11 Butt Detective: The Big Crisis of Small Director Troll Beijing Union Publishing Co., Ltd.
6 6 9787559608390 2018-01 Butt Detective: The Criminal Appears Troll Beijing Union Publishing Co., Ltd.
8 7 9787550286238 2016-11 Butt Detective: Look for the Rainbow Diamond Troll Beijing Union Publishing Co., Ltd.
9 8 9787511052568 2020-08 Butt Detective: Snow Monster in Deep Mountain Troll Dolphin Press
11 9 9787110103074 2022-02 Science Comics Loved by Pupils (4 volumes) Sunbook Popular Science Press
15 10 9787533274269 2013-08 Guess How Much I Love You Sam McBratney, Anita Jeram Tomorrow Publishing House
7 11 9787570711888 2021-12 Ultraman Series Photo Book for 55th Anniversary Tsuburaya Productions Anhui Juvenile and Children’s Publishing House
16 12 9787536587694 2018-04 Mi Xiaoquan School Experience: I am a Pupil Bei Mao Sichuan Juvenile and Children’s Publishing House
17 13 9787536587724 2018-04 Mi Xiaoquan School Experience: Look at This Family Bei Mao Sichuan Juvenile and Children’s Publishing House
18 14 9787536587717 2018-04 Mi Xiaoquan School Experience: A Dog Called Rat Bei Mao Sichuan Juvenile and Children’s Publishing House
19 15 9787536587700 2018-04 Mi Xiaoquan School Experience: My Good Friend Tie Tou Bei Mao Sichuan Juvenile and Children’s Publishing House
Not Ranked 16 9787533562632 2021-01 Our Chinese New Year’s Eve He Jie Fujian Science & Technology Press
Not Ranked 17 9787536574366 2016-01 Mi Xiaoquan’s Brain-teaser: Stratego Bei Mao Sichuan Juvenile and Children’s Publishing House
Not Ranked 18 9787536574397 2016-01 Mi Xiaoquan’s Brain-teaser: Clever Little Prodigy Bei Mao Sichuan Juvenile and Children’s Publishing House
Not Ranked 19 9787536574380 2016-01 Mi Xiaoquan’s Brain-teaser: Who’s the Smart Guy? Bei Mao Sichuan Juvenile and Children’s Publishing House
Not Ranked 20 9787536574373 2016-01 Mi Xiaoquan’s Brain-teaser: The Great Adventure of the Castle Bei Mao Sichuan Juvenile and Children’s Publishing House
Not Ranked 21 9787511054289 2021-03 Choki Choki Broccoli-san Fukuda Junko Dolphin Press
Not Ranked 22 9787533299224 2018-10 Fantastic Mr. Fox Roald Dahl, Quentin Blake Tomorrow Publishing House
Not Ranked 23 9787521726473 2020-12 A Dog Named Money Bodo Schafer CITIC Publishing House Co.,Ltd
23 24 9787536587731 2018-04 Mi Xiaoquan School Experience: Trouble of the New Deskmate Bei Mao Sichuan Juvenile and Children’s Publishing House
28 25 9787533264062 2010-12 Let’s Get Mung Beans, Momma! Zeng Yangqing, Wan Huaguo Tomorrow Publishing House
Not Ranked 26 9787535766229 2011-03 Fast Reading for Age 4-5 (Story Collection) Yang Qiduo Hunan Science & Technology Press
Not Ranked 27 9787539189147 2014-01 Tyrannosaurus Series (7 volumes) Tatsuya Miyanishi 21st Century Press Group
24 28 9787536587762 2018-04 Mi Xiaoquan School Experience: If I Have a Time Machine Bei Mao Sichuan Juvenile and Children’s Publishing House
25 29 9787536587755 2018-04 Mi Xiaoquan School Experience: Secrets of Nature Bei Mao Sichuan Juvenile and Children’s Publishing House
26 30 9787536587748 2018-04 Mi Xiaoquan School Experience: A Lot of Fun Bei Mao Sichuan Juvenile and Children’s Publishing House

Foreign Author Fiction Bestsellers, December 2022
November 2022 Ranking December 2022 Ranking ISBN Release Date Title (Translated) Author Author nationality Chinese Publisher
10 1 9787506394864 2017-09 Sophie’s World (New Edition) Jostein Gaarder Norway The Writer’s Publishing House
1 2 9787544291170 2017-08 One Hundred Years of Solitude (50th Anniversary Edition) Gabriel García Márquez Colombia Nan Hai Publishing Co.
4 3 9787544291163 2017-08 Journey Under the Midnight Sun (2017 Edition) Keigo Higashino Japan Nan Hai Publishing Co.
7 4 9787544297059 2020-03 Love in the Time of Cholera (3 Million Sold Anniversary Edition) Gabriel García Márquez Colombia Nan Hai Publishing Co.
2 5 9787020167098 2021-07 Annees Anne Ernaux France People’s Literature Publishing House
3 6 9787544766500 2017-01 To Kill a Mockingbird Harper Lee United States of America Yilin Press
6 7 9787530217054 2017-12 The Alchemist Paulo Coelho Brazil Beijing October Art & Literature Publishing House
20 8 9787539983295 2015-10 Foundation (Revised Edition) Isaac Asimov United States of America Jiangsu Literature & Art Press
9 9 9787532175512 2020-05 13 Steps Kazuaki Takano Japan Shanghai Literature & Art Press
5 10 9787208061644 2006-04 The Kite Runner Khaled Hosseini United States of America Shanghai People’s Publishing House
11 11 9787544269452 2021-11 Malice (2022 Edition) Keigo Higashino Japan Nan Hai Publishing Co.
8 12 9787201112695 2017-03 Siddhartha Hermann Hesse Germany Tianjin People’s Publishing House
20 13 9787539983295 2015-10 Foundation Isaac Asimov United States of America Jiangsu Literature & Art Press
12 14 9787532761760 2013-08 The Outsider Albert Camus France Shanghai Translation Publishing House
13 15 9787559614711 2018-01 Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit Jeanette Winterson Britain Beijing Union Publishing Co., Ltd.
15 16 9787540485337 2018-03 Tsubaki Stationery Store Ito Ogawa Japan Hunan Literature & Art Press
14 17 9787544298995 2020-09 Miracles of the Namiya General Store (2020 Edition) Keigo Higashino Japan Nan Hai Publishing Co.
3 18 9787544766500 2017-01 To Kill a Mockingbird Harper Lee United States of America Yilin Press
Not Ranked 19 9787555913689 2022-08 Blindness Jose Saramago Portugal Henan Literature & Art Press
16 20 9787532776771 2018-03 Norwegian Wood Haruki Murakami Japan Shanghai Translation Publishing House

Foreign Author Nonfiction Bestsellers, December 2022
November 2022 Ranking December 2022 Ranking ISBN Release Date Title (Translated) Author Author nationality Chinese Publisher
1 1 9787111495482 2015-04 The Courage to Be Disliked Ichiro Kishimi Japan China Machine Press
3 2 9787201161693 2020-08 Counselling for Toads: A Psychological Adventure Robert de Board Britain Tianjin People’s Publishing House
4 3 9787555262800 2017-12 The Power of Insensitivity Junichi Watanabe Japan Qingdao Publishing House
Not Ranked 4 9787532736553 2005-01 The Man Who Changed China: The Life and Legacy of Jiang Zemin Robert Lawrence Kuhn United States of America Shanghai Translation Publishing House
8 5 9787544276986 2019-10 Educated: A Memoir Tara Westover United States of America Nan Hai Publishing Co.
6 6 9787508653389 2015-07 The Rape of Nanking: The Forgotten Holocaust of World War Ⅱ Iris Chang United States of America CITIC Publishing House Co.,Ltd
5 7 9787521733679 2021-09 The Most Tender Upbringing: Be a Gentle but Steadfast Parent Oh Eun-young Korea CITIC Publishing House Co.,Ltd
2 8 9787801445445 2003-04 You Can Heal Your Life Louise L.Hay United States of America China Astronautic Publishing House
12 9 9787521736816 2022-01 Guns, Germs, and Steel Jared Diamond United States of America CITIC Publishing House Co.,Ltd
20 10 9787521719253 2020-08 The Book You Wish Your Parents Had Read (and Your Children Will Be Glad That You Did) Philippa Perry Britain CITIC Publishing House Co.,Ltd
15 11 9787521741124 2022-04 The Almanack of Naval Ravikant: A Guide to Wealth and Happiness Eric Jorgenson United States of America CITIC Publishing House Co.,Ltd
11 12 9787550268517 2016-07 Positive Discipline Jane Nelsen United States of America Beijing Union Publishing Co., Ltd.
Not Ranked 13 9787513349369 2022-09 From the Limit: Correspondence on Feminism Chizuko Ueno Japan New Star Press Co.Ltd
Not Ranked 14 9787508680965 2017-12 Predictably Irrational (Revised Edition) Dan Ariely United States of America CITIC Publishing House Co.,Ltd
14 15 9787520711531 2019-11 A Compass to Fulfillment Kazuo Inamori Japan Orient Press
9 16 9787522200514 2021-05 Nonviolent Communication Marshall B. Rosenberg United States of America Huaxia Publishing House
Not Ranked 17 9787108009821 1998-07 1587, a Year of No Significance Ray Huang United States of America SDX Joint Publishing Company
17 18 9787111551287 2016-10 Peak: Secrets from the New Science of Expertise Anders Ericsson, Robert Pool United States of America China Machine Press
Not Ranked 19 9787542645715 2015-02 Misogyny Chizuko Ueno Japan Shanghai Joint Publishing Company
Not Ranked 20 9787210096528 2017-09 Mindset: The New Psychology of Success Carol S. Dweck United States of America Jiangxi People’s Publishing House

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 December 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, and more on the Chinese book publishing market is hereMore from us on the ongoing coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic–which of course has had much to do with China’s book business, as we’ll know more about from the forthcoming annual report–is here.

About the Author

Porter Anderson

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Porter Anderson is a non-resident fellow of Trends Research & Advisory, and he has been named International Trade Press Journalist of the Year in London Book Fair's International Excellence Awards. He is Editor-in-Chief of Publishing Perspectives. He formerly was Associate Editor for The FutureBook at London's The Bookseller. Anderson was for more than a decade a senior producer and anchor with CNN.com, CNN International, and CNN USA. As an arts critic (Fellow, National Critics Institute), he was with The Village Voice, the Dallas Times Herald, and the Tampa Tribune, now the Tampa Bay Times. He co-founded The Hot Sheet, a newsletter for authors, which now is owned and operated by Jane Friedman.