Genius or sadist: What do the best-selling non-fiction books of the 21st century say about us?

Publication date: 23 January 1403 visit: 323 views

Tags Yuval Noah Harari

Now that we have passed a quarter of the 21st century, we can gain an understanding of human interests and concerns by looking at the most popular non-fiction books of this period. From learning new habits to a deeper understanding of humanity, these books have charted the intellectual path of British society since the turn of the new millennium. But the results of these studies, as Hannah Evans says, are surprising.

The Dark Age of "Trouble Literature"

Forget our current interest in true crimes; Around the turn of the 3rd millennium, British society really became enamored with grim and dark stories. At the time, a genre known as "distress literature" became popular, especially with the publication of Dave Pelzer's harrowing memoir A Child Named "He" in 1995. The book, which recounted the author's brutal abuse at the hands of his mother, paved the way for a wave of similar works, all of which hit bookstores under the title "Painful Lives." were categorized.

This wave of stories of pain and suffering actually reflected and even provoked a kind of "democratization of suffering"; So that people talked about their childhood difficulties with others more than before. This period also coincided with the rise of the Internet, blogs, and online chatrooms that allowed for anonymous communication. In addition, important laws were passed in the field of child protection and criminal background checks in the UK.

nonfiction trends; A mirror of society

Analyzing trends in non-fiction books is a powerful tool for understanding our culture. Examining the data on the best-selling non-fiction books of the 20th century (based on the Sunday Times lists and Nielsen statistics), one can ask: are we still interested in gritty narratives, or are we aiming higher?

While we're no longer as obsessed with horror stories as we were in the 2000s, we're still fascinated by reading about other people's private lives. According to Nielsen, the best-selling non-fiction category in the UK since 2000 has been biographies and memoirs; Of course, most of these works include biographies written by ghostwriters for famous people. But interestingly, the most popular book in this category is This Is Gonna Hurt: The Secret Memoirs of a Young Doctor by Adam Kay.

The book, which was published in 2017 and later turned into a series by the BBC in 2022, tells the story of the intense work pressures in the British National Health System (NHS). The work's popularity increased especially during the Covid-19 pandemic, when the critical role of doctors and other key workers in society was highlighted. This success shows that the British people continue to support their national health system and believe in the importance of free access to health services.

From self-knowledge to discovering the complexities of the world

In the last decade, people have turned to reading books with complex and challenging themes. Books such as "Wise Man" and "Godlike Man" by Yuval Noah Harari, "Prisoners of Geography" by Tim Marshall, and "Siege of Fools" by Thomas Erickson are examples of these works.

These books have simplified broad concepts and made them understandable for the general public. According to Maya Snow, editor-in-chief of Bookseller magazine, this trend reflects the information revolution of the 2010s. With the increase in access to the Internet, people have access to a vast amount of information, and these works help to connect this scattered information in a meaningful format.

A change in self-help and spirituality books

Despite the popularity of scientific and historical subjects, self-help books have also maintained their place. Among the most successful works in this field, we can mention "Atomic Habits" written by James Clear. Published in 2018, this book focuses on making small changes to achieve dramatic results. Also, the book "Good Life, Good Condition" by Wax King, deals with the topic of self-love and spirituality in a simple and casual language and has been widely welcomed.

Conclusion; Free and independent choice

What bestselling non-fiction books say about us is that we are no longer forced to read specific subjects like we did in school. The choice of these books shows the real interest and curiosity of the people. Unlike fiction, which is largely dependent on marketing and advertising, the popularity of non-fiction books truly reflects the real desires of readers.

This trend paints a positive picture of today's society: a society that seeks a deeper understanding of itself, others, and the world, and this is a cause for hope.