The results emerge from the traditional report carried out by the Argentine Book Chamber (CAL), this time in collaboration with Buenos Aires Social Innovation Center (NIS)based on a survey of 95 entrepreneurs in the sector carried out in August 2024. Booksellers, publishers and entrepreneurs expressed themselves according to their balance sheets.The first half of 2024compared to the previous year.
Firstly, the study once again highlighted the geographical concentration of the Argentine publishing universe: 57.9% are located in the city of Buenos Airesfollowed by the province of Buenos Aires (15.8%), Santa Fe (9.5%) and Córdoba (7.4%).
Other characteristics of these companies are their long-term stay in the field (78.95% have been in the universe of the book for more than 10 years) but the low employability in a dependency relationship: only 1.05% have more than 50 workers, while nearly 60% have less than 9 and 22.11% responded that they did not have any. Other alternatives open up there, such as freelance hiring: 68.42% of companies have at least one independent worker.
When it came to responding to its sales, in all sectors of the book universe the negative perception was the majority. 60% of distributors said their situation had worsened in the first half of 2024 compared to the previous year, a figure that rose to 71% for virtual bookstores, 74% for publishers and 94% for bookstores with a store. This last sector, in addition, suffered the greatest range of losses: 50% of those surveyed said they had a drop in their sales of between 26% and 49%, while 12% saw a deterioration of more than 50% in their billing.
In that scenario, Book distributors are the ones that acknowledge having the greatest income: nearly 20% responded that they billed more than $1,000 million annually.a figure that drops to 11% for publishers, 2.56% for bookstores with a store and 0% for digital bookstores. In this framework, most of the editorials (41%) responded to have an annual turnover of between $100 million and $499 million; 38% of bookstores with premises He answered that he received between $10 million and $49 million; and 28.57% digital bookstores They claim to bill less than $10 million annually.
Rolón, García Márquez, Bachrach and Enríquez lead the most read of 2024
The ILHSA Group published the ranking of the best-selling books of 2024, whose general top is headed by the best seller Gabriel Rolon and his book “Happiness”, where the psychoanalyst returns to self-help and runs away from fiction. It questions contemporary discourses about happiness and suggests that it is not found in the false goals proposed by contemporary culture but rather by delving into desire.
In second place is Gabriel Garcia Marquez with his novel “See you in August,” posthumous novel by the notable Colombian writer, winner of the Nobel Prize, which a decade after his death, was published in 30 countries. The narrative focuses on a woman named Ana Magdalena Bach, who travels to a Caribbean island every August to visit her mother’s grave. In these somber wanderings, briefly freed from her husband and family, she finds a new lover each time.
In third place was “zensorially”, of Stanislaus Bachrach, in which the MBA and Executive MBA professor evokes the new path of vipassana, one of the oldest meditation techniques in India, after having completed a ten-day retreat. There it refers to the permanent movement of the body as a vehicle to control the mind.
The fourth most read in the general ranking was “Destroy this diary,” of Keri Smith, a saga to bring children and adolescents closer to reading with an innovative proposal. The book proposes slogans such as tearing pages of the book or messing about, combining playfulness with traditional reading.
Fifth place went to “This pain is not mine,” of Mark Wolynn, which, in line with family constellations, seeks to identify and resolve inherited family traumas.
The sixth most read book of the year was “The Neville House 2. Do not want anything vile”, by Florencia Bonelli, the second book of the writer’s trilogy in which, in the midst of the complex network of lies and betrayals that surrounds them, Manon and Alexander will try to consolidate their love.
“Atomic habits”, of James Clearranked seventh in the overall top, another self-help book that proposes simple habits to transform life and attract good luck, which includes stories of artists, successful athletes and businessmen.
In eighth place was “A sunny place for gloomy people”, of Mariana Enriquez, twelve stories about horror, about the evil that lurks and the monsters that arise in the most everyday reality, where the ghostly is present in every line.
In ninth place appears Jorge Fernandez Diazwith “Cora.” The author combines his knowledge of the human condition with suspense and his new book is a world of love intrigues.
The general top closes with “The monk who sold his Ferrari”, of Robin S. Sharma, a self-help book that is a business fable centered on two characters, Julian Mantle and his best friend John, in the form of conversations. Julián narrates his spiritual experiences during a trip to the Himalayas.
Source: Ambito
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