“There is no friend as loyal as a book.” – Ernest Hemingway

Books have been an integral part of humankind. Whether it is for leisure, curiosity, for knowledge or just spending a quiet afternoon – people read books for all sorts of reasons. It is the end of the year and Amazon India has released their 2016 Reading Trends Report. Impressively, Delhi-NCR topped the list of most well read cities in India – FOURTH YEAR in a row. While Bengaluru, Mumbai and Hyderabad follow at number 2, number 3 and number 3 position respectively

First the Amazon Best Sellers of 2016:

1. Chetan Bhagat bagged the top place and became the most sought after author on Amazon.in thanks to his book One Indian Girl. The said book also emerged as the highest selling book of 2016.

2. At number 2, we have the J. K. Rowling’s magical Harry Potter and the Cursed Child – Parts I & II (Special Rehearsal Edition).

3. Much to everyone’s surprise, exam preparation book Word Power Made Easy by Norman Lewis scored the third spot.

4. Jumping three sweet spots from last year’s 7th spot is Robin Sharma’s non fiction Who Will Cry When You Die?.

Amazon also conducted a Reader’s Poll 2016 on their website inviting their readers to vote their favourite book across eight categories.

The categories were : Fiction by Indian authors, Fiction by International authors, Biographies, Business , Self Help, Non-Fiction, books in Hindi and Children’s book. Each category had the top-5 best sellers of the respective genre and readers were asked to vote among them. The poll ran for 8 days and had an overwhelming response from the customers.

Reader’s Poll- Popular Books of 2016:

Harry Potter And the Cursed Child – Part I & II

by J. K. Rowling

The Harry Potter saga by J. K. Rowling Jack Thorne & John Tiffany continues. Cursed Child bagged ‘Most Popular book of the year’ in Reader’s Poll 2016. The book follows the life of Albus Potter- son of Harry Potter and his struggles and the pressure of growing up as the son of famous Harry Potter – the family legacy he never wanted. The same was also the winner in the Children’s book category.

One Indian Girl

by Chetan Bhagat

In the fiction category by Indian authors Chetan Bhagat was polled bestselling with his book One Indian Girl which emerged as highest selling fiction book of 2016. The book stirred some controversies on its topic of feminism. The book follows the Story of Radhika Mehta – a worker in an investment Bank and the choices she has to make , dealing with her past.

Cometh the Hour

by Jeffery Archer

The novel was top voted in the fiction by International author category. It is sixth novel in Jeffery Archer’s Clifton Chronicles. The series and the book follows events of the fictitious Clifton and Barrington families in the 1920s era.

When Breath Becomes Air

by Paul Kalintihi

An autobiography by Paul Kalintihi explained his life, illness and his struggle battling stage IV metastatic lung cancer. It was on the New York Times Non-fiction best seller for list for multiple weeks too.

The Rise and Fall of Nations

by Ruchir Sharma

The book by Ruchir Sharma was the winner in the business category. The book shaped by his twenty five years travelling the world and interactions with people around the globe rethinks the ‘dismal science’ of economics as a practical art.

Indian Superfoods

by Rutuja Diwekar

Top nutritionist Rutuja Diwekar’s book got the top spot in self help category. The book focuses on every super food from nutrition, aphrodisiac to fertility and even fat burner that we can find in our own kitchen and backyard.

A Feast of Vultures

by Josy Joseph

Josy Josephs’s book scored the top spot in non-fiction. A Feast of Vultures is an unprecedented, multiple-level inquiry into modern India, and the picture it reveals is both explosive and frightening. A Feast of Vultures is tour de force through the wildly beating heart of post-socialist India.

Devlok with Devdutt Patnaik

by Devdutt Patnaik

Devlok with Devdutt Patnaik was the top among all the books in Hindi category. The book takes you to a journey in the amazing world of Hindu mythology. An adaptation of a TV show with the same name, the book is perfect introduction to the endlessly fascinating world of Hindu mythology.

Source: Amazon