Best Sellers of the Past

At this time of year it’s natural to review the past as well as to anticipate the future. And we are besieged with lists- award winning books of the past year, favorite books read, best books, as well as bestselling books. Well, this year as I found myself looking back, I looked way back- to the bestsellers a century ago. Now we all know there’s quite a difference between best books of the year and bestselling books of the year, and I got curious as to how many bestsellers passed the test of time. I found myself looking at Publisher’s Weekly’s list of bestselling hardcover books. Of the top 42 bestselling fiction books from 1900 to 1920, the St. Charles Public Library currently holds 5 titles, including the number one fiction book from 1900, To Have and to Hold by Mary Johnston. The other 4 books are The Virginian by Owen Wister(1902), Pollyanna by Eleanor Porter(1914), Seventeen by Booth Tarkington(1916) and The Man of the Forest by Zane Grey(1920). Why not check one of these out and see the appeal for yourself. Better yet, check out the list for yourself and let us know your favorites from the past and why you think they are still read.
TS