Percentage of five book categories sold by a bookseller 1972-2012

The three pie charts illustrate the shifts in the proportion of five different book categories sold by a bookseller between 1972 and 2012. Overall, it is clear that adult fiction became the most popular genre by a significant margin, whereas the popularity of biographies, travel, and other books followed a downward trend.

In 1972, sales were relatively evenly distributed. Adult fiction, children's fiction, and biographies each accounted for 20% of sales, while travel books made up 15% and others comprised 25%. By 1992, adult fiction had risen to 25% and children's fiction to 22%. Conversely, the share of biographies dropped to 15% and other books fell to 20%, although travel saw a slight increase to 18%.

By 2012, the market had transformed significantly. Adult fiction surged to 45% of total sales, more than doubling its 1972 figure. Children's fiction also grew to 25%. In contrast, the remaining categories saw marked declines: biographies plummeted to 8%, travel books halved to 10%, and the 'others' category dropped to 12%. These figures highlight a clear shift in consumer preference towards fiction over the four decades.