The construction of a bestseller

Theoretical and empirical approaches to the case of the Fifty Shades trilogy as an eBook bestseller

Datos Bibliográficos

ID11267149
AutoresTerje Colbjørnsen (0000-0001-5849-2851, University of Oslo, autor de correspondencia)
Año2014
Volumen36
Número8
Páginas1100-1117
Fecha de publicación2014-11-01
Peer ReviewedSí
Open AccessSí
TipoARTICLE
RevistaMedia Culture & Society (JOURNAL)
Identificadores de la revistaISSN: 0163-4437 • E-ISSN: 1460-3675
EditorialSAGE Publications (PUBLISHER • US)
DOI10.1177/0163443714544999
OpenAlexW2088388385
IdiomaEN
Citas recibidas6
Referencias citadas20

In both eBook and print versions, EL James’ Fifty Shades trilogy has made a substantial impact on bestseller lists across the world. But what does it mean to be a bestseller? Is the eBook bestseller different from its print counterpart? Taking the case of the Fifty Shades trilogy as a starting point, this article looks into the overall topic of bestsellers and digital publishing with specific attention paid to the Norwegian book market and the publishing history of the trilogy in Norway. The article examines these issues in line with an understanding of the bestseller as the product of a cultural logic rather than a reflection of popular taste. The article argues that since a bestseller is identified through its position on a bestseller list, the status is dependent on a general cultural recognition and the inclusion in a particular market information regime. The case of Fifty Shades highlights new trends in publishing and new elements to the construction of the bestseller, but also how the construction of the bestseller was dependent on its integration into the traditional channels of publishing

Art · Art history · Literature · Media studies · Norwegian · Publishing · Sociology · Trilogy · Cinema and Media Studies · Digital Games and Media · History · Philosophy · Publishing and Scholarly Communication