That stat about 70% of bookstore clerks only recommending male authors? I checked it and it's real

I was at my book club last week and someone dropped that 70 percent figure about male authors being recommended way more. I didn't believe it so I spent an hour going through the bestseller lists from 2023 at our local library. Turns out only 3 out of 12 staff picks there were women writers. Has anyone else noticed a slant in what gets pushed by employees at their own bookstores?

2 comments

2 Comments

jessicaflores8d ago

I actually see it a little different at my local shop. The employees there are always pushing female authors hard, especially in literary fiction and fantasy. Maybe it depends on the store or the people working there.

hayes.jake8d agoTop Commenter

You're spot on. I stopped by a bookstore last weekend and the whole front table was stacked with female authors, all literary fiction and some fantasy. The employee working the register talked me into picking up one about a coastal town with a lot of family drama. She said it was her favorite book of the year. Meanwhile, I had to dig through the back shelves to find any new male authors in the thriller section. It's like they're curating the entire store around one type of reader. My buddy owns a little shop across town and he says his crew does the same thing because it's what sells best in their neighborhood.