Not exactly one hundred years of solitude, to use the title of a well-known novel, but the long coronavirus lockdowns gave many of us a lot more time to read.
As a result, sales of physical books rose strongly: some 202 million paperbacks and hardbacks were sold in the UK in 2020, according to industry figures., external
That was the first time these sales had passed the 200 million mark since 2012.
It was a similar picture in the US, where sales hit 751 million last year,, external the highest figure since 2009.
With the UK’s Bookshop Day being held on Saturday, 9 October, to encourage readers to shop in their local bookshop, the industry hopes this trend will continue now that people have got into the habit of reading more.
Alison Holmes, who helps run a book club in York, believes that the lockdown, and the extra downtime it offered people, was liberating for some avid readers.
“I know people… who have been able to sit down and read without feeling guilty about all the other things they should be doing,” she says.
Ms Holmes’ book club has a fun and healthy twist. The York Bike Belles’ Walking Book Club meet once a month to walk the streets of the city, talking about a certain novel.
