How was the WHSmith 50 paperbacks of 2009 worked out?

[Flamesparrow]

Book group had a thing from a paper (possibly Independent) listing the "Top 50 Paperbacks of 2009" something to do with WHSmith.

There is nothing on it though to say how they picked the books.

It all seemed a bit as some (My Sister's Keeper for example) are clearly not 2009 books...

Is it just sales???

It doesn't matter. I still have to pick a book from the list (considering Mr Whicher - is it any good?), but I'm intrigued!

Lied - was The Times

I suppose My Sister's Keeper is in there because of the film tie-in

Someone once told me it is all to do with publishers pushing in shops adn taking money for promoting certain books. That's why the same old books are always promoted in the shops.

Well it says there that it's a list of books published in paperback, and chosen by Erica Wagner, Alexander McCall Smith and the fiction buyer from Smiths.

And then they will have a Paperback of the Year Award winner, chosen by them, in December.

Tis just another prize / marketing thing that's all.

Yes, Whicher would be good for a book group I think

Well with the absence of the high profile R&J bookclub I suppose something had to step in its place ...