Welcome back to Subject Spotlight, your go-to source for quarterly data-driven insights into the performance of particular subjects in the Canadian book market.
Previously, we looked at the sales and library circulation for the Fiction/Fantasy BISAC subject. In this instalment, we shine the spotlight on Non-Fiction / Biography & Autobiography titles.
According to data recently published in our free study, Turning Pages: Print Book Use in Canada 2023, the most popular Non-Fiction subjects for Canadian print book readers in 2023 remained Biography or Autobiography (36%). Also, Biography or Memoir was one of the most popular Non-Fiction subjects for print books in 2023 — 17% of paperback purchases vs. 32% of hardcover purchases.
How did Non-Fiction / Biography & Autobiography titles perform during the second quarter of 2024? We find out with the help of our SalesData and LibraryData services.
Buying Non-Fiction / Biography & Autobiography
Compared to 2023, the overall sales of Non-Fiction / Biography & Autobiography titles were down 8% over the entire second quarter. Looking at the graph below, sales of Non-Fiction / Biography & Autobiography increased by 10% from April to June 2024 and by 26% in the same period in 2023.
These are the BISAC subcategories with the highest year-over-year increase in sales:
Non-Fiction / Biography & Autobiography / Jewish — up 298%
Non-Fiction / Biography & Autobiography / Fire & Emergency Services — up 297%
Non-Fiction / Biography & Autobiography / Aviation & Nautical — up 252%
From April to June 2024, the most purchased Non-Fiction / Biography & Autobiography subcategories were:
Non-Fiction / Biography & Autobiography / Memoirs — 34% of all Non-Fiction / Biography & Autobiography sales
Non-Fiction / Biography & Autobiography / Entertainment & Performing Arts — 11% of all Non-Fiction / Biography & Autobiography sales
Non-Fiction / Biography & Autobiography / Rich & Famous — 5% of all Non-Fiction / Biography & Autobiography sales
Borrowing Non-Fiction / Biography & Autobiography
From April to June 2024, library loans and renewals of Non-Fiction / Biography & Autobiography titles were up 2% and 5% respectively from 2023.
Year-over-year, loans increased by 2% in April, 23% in May, and decreased by 15% in June. Overall, loans rose by 22% in the second quarter of 2023 and by 1% in the second quarter of 2024.
Year-over-year, renewals increased by 4% in April, 27% in May, and decreased by 13% in June. Overall, renewals increased by 21% in the second quarter of 2023 and by 1% in the second quarter of 2024.
Which Non-Fiction / Biography & Autobiography BISAC subcategories were the most popular in Canadian public libraries? From April to June 2024, these subcategories saw the greatest increases in library circulation compared to 2023:
Non-Fiction / Biography & Autobiography / Hispanic & Latino — loans up 156% and renewals up 150%
Non-Fiction / Biography & Autobiography / Fire & Emergency Services — loans up 139% and renewals up 163%
Non-Fiction / Biography & Autobiography / Social Activists — loans up 139% and renewals up 63%
During the second quarter of 2024, the most circulated Non-Fiction / Biography & Autobiography subcategories were:
Non-Fiction / Biography & Autobiography / Memoirs — 35% of all Non-Fiction / Biography & Autobiography loans and 33% of all Non-Fiction / Biography & Autobiography renewals
Non-Fiction / Biography & Autobiography / Adventurers & Explorers — 25% of all Non-Fiction / Biography & Autobiography loans and 2% of all Non-Fiction / Biography & Autobiography renewals
Non-Fiction / Biography & Autobiography / Entertainment & Performing Arts — 9% of all Non-Fiction / Biography & Autobiography loans and 8% of all Non-Fiction / Biography & Autobiography renewals
Reading Non-Fiction / Biography & Autobiography
Here are the top selling and top borrowed Non-Fiction / Biography & Autobiography titles from the second quarter of 2024.
Top borrowed
The Woman in Me by Britney Spears
Spare by Prince Harry, The Duke of Sussex
Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing by Matthew Perry 🍁
I'm Glad My Mom Died by Jennette McCurdy
Elon Musk by Walter Isaacson
Top selling
You Never Know by Tom Selleck & Ellis Henican
Knife by Salman Rushdie
Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing by Matthew Perry 🍁
The Forbidden Daughter by Zipora Klein Jakob
The Light We Carry by Michelle Obama
Until next time!
Stay tuned for future instalments of this series or sign up to our eNews for more digestible data on the Canadian book market.
Find out what titles made it to the November 2024 Loan Stars Adult Canadian list.