EL James' Fifty Shades Of Grey is fastest-ever seller

 

Author EL James - behind publishing phenomenon Fifty Shades Of
Grey - has become the first writer to see three of her books each sell
in excess of 100,000 paperback copies in a week.

Her trilogy has held the top three places in the best-seller lists for seven weeks and the first book in the series, Fifty Shades Of Grey, is already the fastest-selling book of the year.

James's debut shattered the record for weekly sales. shifting 205,130 copies in just seven days. The previous high was 141,000.

New figures show the paperback version has now sold 765,000 copies in two months, a figure which the biggest selling paperback of all time, Dan Brown's The Da Vinci Code, took six months to achieve.

Mother-of-two and former TV executive James, real name Erika Leonard, has already seen the movie rights to her books snapped up.

Industry experts are expecting the paperback Fifty Shades Of Grey to break through a million sales within a month. The trilogy is completed by follow-ups Fifty Shades Darker and Fifty Shades Freed.

Charlotte Bush, publicity director for the books' publisher Arrow Books, said: "The sales figures are phenomenal and we look forward to seeing them grow over the summer - what could be more perfect than relaxing by the pool with a copy of Fifty Shades Of Grey?"

Philip Stone, charts editor of trade magazine The Bookseller, said: "Sales of the Fifty Shades series have been nothing short of phenomenal and records are tumbling. Perhaps most remarkably, the paperback edition of Fifty Shades Of Grey has sold in just two months what Brown's The Da Vinci Code, the best-selling paperback novel of all time, took over six months to achieve.

"It is no doubt breaking ebook download records too, meaning Fifty Shades Of Grey is perhaps the fastest-selling adult novel of all time."

PA

Independent Comment
blog comments powered by Disqus
News in pictures
World news in pictures
Arts & Ents blogs

Brighton Fringe 2013 – Is everyone sitting uncomfortably?

Fancy seeing a play about serial killers? How about inviting a funeral director into your home for a...

The Fall ‘Darkness Visible’ – Series 1, episode 2

There are a good many moments in the second episode of this psychological thriller that deserve refl...

‘Vicious’ – Series 1, episode 4

The opening titles squeal ‘Never Can Say Goodbye…’. Oh Lord how I wish I could heave this series off...

       

ES Rentals

    James Pembroke: The man who's eaten everywhere

    The man who's eaten everywhere

    Few people know more about restaurants than James Pembroke, who only spent five mealtimes at home during his entire childhood.
    A Berliner in 1963 – but did John F Kennedy once admire Adolf Hitler?

    A Berliner in 1963 – but did John F Kennedy once admire Adolf Hitler?

    The young JFK praised 'superior' Nordic races during visits to Germany
    Banned Iranian director Mohammad Rasoulof to attend Cannes Film Festival 2013, his first public appearance since prison

    Banned Iranian director to attend Cannes Film Festival

    Mohammad Rasoulof to make his first public appearance since being imprisoned three years ago
    Seeing the larger picture: Inspiring images of space

    Seeing the larger picture: Inspiring images of space

    An exhibition explores images how photography has shaped astronomy
    Eat Spam and carry on: Wartime pamphlets could teach us a thing or two about healthy, thrifty eating

    Eat Spam and carry on

    Wartime pamphlets could teach us a thing or two about healthy, thrifty eating
    Facial hair: Cat beards and the purrrsuit of excellence

    Facial hair

    Cat beards and the purrrsuit of excellence
    The 10 Best salt and pepper sets

    The 10 Best salt and pepper sets

    Whether they're for everyday use or to make your dining table look just right, it's worth getting a stylish shaker...
    Ferran Soriano: Predicting success if Manchester City 'vision' is followed

    Ferran Soriano: Predicting success if Manchester City 'vision' is followed

    Chief executive says trophies will come if a 'core' of suitable players is in place
    Thomas Müller: We couldn't handle losing a Champions League Final again

    Thomas Müller: We couldn't handle losing a Champions League Final again

    The Bayern Munich forward tells Tim Rich his side have to shed chokers' tag after two recent final defeats
    Giro d'Italia: The Stelvio Pass - cycling's killer climb

    The Stelvio Pass - cycling's killer climb

    As the Giro d'Italia tackles the brutal climb, Simon Usborne takes on the snow and switchbacks – and soon realises what the fuss is about
    National archives: Edward VIII’s phone calls - and how MI5 bugged them

    Edward VIII’s phone calls - and how MI5 bugged them

    Newly unearthed papers reveal a shocking extra dimension to the constitutional crisis over monarch’s abdication
    Sent down at the Old Bailey: A tour of the world's most famous court

    Sent down at the Old Bailey

    A tour of the world's most famous court
    Hollywood's random acts of red-carpet kindness

    Hollywood's random acts of red-carpet kindness

    The Hangover actor Zach Galifianakis’s date for his movie premieres isn’t arm candy  – it’s his 87-year-old friend who he saved from homelessness
    British football scores an own goal

    British football scores an own goal

    Many managers barely survive a year in post. Martin Baker talks to experts who make a case for clubs using forensic business skills to find the best staff
    James Lawton: Sergio Garcia cracks as major fault line opens up again

    James Lawton

    Sergio Garcia cracks as major fault line opens up again