PAGES : Americans Still Splurge on Books
A sluggish economy did not stall an increase in U.S. book sales in 1992, a report by the Book Industry Study Group has shown.
Consumers purchased 822 million books for adults, a 7% increase over the 1991 estimate of 770 million books.
Trade paperbacks showed the biggest growth, up 11% in 1992 over the previous year.
The most popular category among paperbacks in 1992 was psychology/reference, including counseling and self-help books. Sales in this genre grew by 15% in 1992.
Americans over 55 tended to buy more books, while those ages 25 and younger bought fewer.
Subject matter was the driving force for 53% of book consumers in 1991.
An author’s reputation was the second most important motivation.
The study showed that in 1992, 65% of American households purchased at least one book.
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