Overview

Best-sellers are the books that sell well, are read by large numbers of people, and are widely talked about in the media and among readers. Yet there has been little research on the creation, reception, and cultural and social significance of best-sellers. Recognising that popular narratives play an important role in the lives of millions of readers, this book looks closely at the literature so many people read. As global market phenomena, situated in between the power spheres of producers and consumers, best-sellers also highlight the interdependency of culture, market, and the individual. This volume addresses such diverse questions as the creation of hype, the role and the meaning of the author in the present-day media landscape, changes in the book trade, historical perspectives on best-selling literature, and the relationship between best-sellers and literary research.

Full Product Details

9789187675065

Table of Contents

Reviews

Author Information

Jon Helgason, PhD and Associate Professor in Comparative Literature and Lecturer in Icelandic at Linnaeus University. His most recent works include two co-authored monographs (2015, 2017) on literary value and value regimes in the contemporary literary and cultural sphere in Sweden, as well as two co-edited research anthologies on bestseller phenomena (2014) and performativity and performance theory (2016), respectively. Helgason is former chairman of the Swedish Art Councils Literature Committee (20162019).

Tab Content 6

Customer Reviews

Recent Reviews

Countries Available