The three pie charts compare the proportions of five types of books sold in 1972, 1992 and 2012.
Overall, no single genre dominated book sales across the whole period, as the leading share changed over time. It is also clear that the proportion of adult fiction rose markedly, while the share of other categories declined.
In 1972, other books accounted for the largest proportion, at 25%, followed closely by adult fiction, children’s fiction and biography, each at around 20%. Travel books were the least popular category, representing 15%. By 1992, the share of adult fiction had risen to 25%, while children’s fiction increased slightly to 22%. In contrast, the proportion of biography books fell to 15%, and other categories dropped to 20%. Travel books also grew moderately, reaching 18%.
A very different pattern was seen in 2012. Adult fiction became by far the most popular genre, accounting for approximately 45% of total sales. Children’s fiction also increased, making up a quarter of the market. By contrast, the proportions of travel, biography and other books all declined significantly, to 10%, 8% and 12% respectively.