10 replies to this topic

[Claire]

Hi, I've been writing my 3rd year university dissertation on James Bond and was just wondering if anyone knew where I could get some sales figures for the books? I've already found some helpful stuff on here like the award nominations etc but would like to have some figures to support my argument.

Thanks for any help.

Claire

[Jim]

Hello Claire, welcome to CB.n.

IFP tends to keep the figures very close to its chest, although there are contemporary bestseller lists available that will include the recent Higson books (although query whether these are skewed by including or not including online sales).

You could, of course, ask IFP direct - although I suspect you might have. Another way to work it out is (as a rough guide) calculating the print runs as most of the continuation novels certainly sold their initial print runs (although these eventually ended up being pretty small, certainly in the UK). I used to have access to a site which could find you the sales of any book but a ) it was of dubious merit because it did not include library purchases, and Bonds tended to be bought up by libraries and b ) it did not include online sales and c ) it only included full price sales and so many books are now discounted it's not that important a figure and d ) it disappeared suddenly...

What I suspect (and I have no data other than piecing together the little I know) is that the two Higsons have outsold the six Bensons put together but this is largely because a ) IFP really limited the print runs of the Bensons (artistic merits of so doing aside) and have gone very big with the Higson books and b ) I've never seen a full price version of either of the Higson books in any of the UK main chains, nor on Amazon or the like.

Best of luck with the dissertation, by the way.

[Claire]

Thanks for that. I'll probably just use the fact that the books have made bestseller lists as support for my argument. Its not a major part of the dissertation so it's not really vital I have figures, just would've been nice!

Thanks again,
Claire

[Jim]

Thanks for that. I'll probably just use the fact that the books have made bestseller lists as support for my argument. Its not a major part of the dissertation so it's not really vital I have figures, just would've been nice!

Thanks again,
Claire

No problems - it is curious how (given there's plentiful detail about box-office for the films) there is little detail kicking around about sales. Still, probably worth dropping a line to IFP (and if you do find anything, do let us know!).

[ACE]

A fascinating table of sales figures of the Fleming Pan paperback Bond novels from 1955 to 1977 is found at pages 26-27 of Bond And Beyond, The Political Career of a Popular Hero by Tony Bennett and Janet Woollacott, Macmillan Education, 1987 ISBN 0333286219

[Claire]

Thanks for everyone's replies. I handed my dissertation in today but didnt have any figures for Higson's books. I think the book award nominations were enough tho as I was just trying to establish the success of the books.

Ace - I had those figures already as I used that book quite extensively. Thank you tho.

Thanks again for all your help. Now I just hope I get a decent grade!

Claire

[zencat]

According to IFP, Blood Fever spent 11 weeks in the #1 spot on the UK Children's bestsellers chart.

[Qwerty]

According to IFP, Blood Fever spent 11 weeks in the #1 spot on the UK Children's bestsellers chart.

Wow. Very nicely done.

How many weeks was SilverFin at #1?

[003.5]

from what I remember, it never made number 1 best 7 or 8?

[Qwerty]

from what I remember, it never made number 1 best 7 or 8?

Oh, really? I thought it had at least gotten to #1 once, but perhaps I'm thinking of when Blood Fever was just released and had gotten to that spot.

[K1Bond007]

from what I remember, it never made number 1 best 7 or 8?

Correct. #8 was as high as it got.