BOOKS OF THE YEAR NON-FICTION: NARRATIVE


OVERVIEW                       


THE BODY In a way, it was back to the bestselling author’s travel- writing roots. This time Bill Bryson set out to understand how our bodies work and, as one review put it, the result is “a directory of wonders”. The campaign was hard to miss, dominating online and outdoor spaces. Appealing to readers of all ages, it was responsible for £1 in every £5 spent on popu- lar science books last year.


LADY IN WAITING An honest, funny and moving memoir from inside the royal circle. Anne Glenconner’s story goes beyond the royal household as she discussed her personal tragedies too. Despite being written by a little-known figure, this book enjoyed incredible commercial success: Lady in Waiting was a Sunday Times bestseller for 14 out of the 15 weeks following its publication.


ME Elton John’s first full autobiog- raphy finally landed last year. It was a huge success not only because of his superstardom, but because it was revealing, funny, quick and full of drama. The bright, colourful and glob- ally recognisable campaign was everywhere, and the author’s commitment to the book’s success was evident. Some 240,000 hardback copies were sold in 2019.


PUBLISHERS 1 DOUBLEDAY 2 CHATTO & WINDUS 3 HODDER & STOUGHTON 4 MACMILLAN 5 PICADOR 6 BLOOMSBURY CIRCUS


THREE WOMEN This début depicts the story of three American women and their sex lives. Based on almost 10 years of reporting, the result is a frank, detailed expose of the complexities of female desire. A strong cover used symbolism to portray the themes, and avoided being overly sexualised. A thorough, relentless campaign ensured Lisa Taddeo’s title was a hit in the UK.


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INVISIBLE WOMEN By using facts and statistics that were difficult to ignore, Caroline Criado Perez changed the way people thought in 2019. Invisible Women showed how the world is designed for men, highlighted the gender data gap, and outlined the invisible ways that women are forgotten in society. A huge publicity campaign brought this book to the fore, and resulted in huge sales.


TWAS THE NIGHSHIFT BEFORE CHRISTMAS This festive follow-up was full of the funny and sometimes heartbreaking stories readers loved in This Is Going to Hurt. Adam Kay balances cynicism and humour with heart- wrenching stories from his time as a junior doctor in this eye-opening look at what NHS staff sacrifice at Christmas. An inventive, unique campaign was run upon its publication.


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