The fundamental drive to read is the desire to be transported to some place new — and like Harry Potter yearning to escape his dreary muggle life, the number one place we want to go is Hogwarts.
That’s according to Amazon’s roundup of the best-selling books of 2016. Harry Potter and the Cursed Child (a post-Battle for Hogwarts play written by J.K. Rowling, Jack Thorne, and John Tiffany) topped the list of the 20 best-sellers across all categories.
It’s the first time a play earned a spot on the top 20 best-sellers list, showing the magic of Harry Potter is still alive and well.
“The power of Potter is still strong, and readers of all ages can’t get enough of Hogwarts,” said Amazon Senior Book Editor Chris Schluep in a press release. “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child was the most anticipated book of the year, breaking pre-order records months before its release.”
The play was also number one in the top 20 best-selling kids and teens books. It was one of three books in the Harry Potter universe that made that list — even though it’s been nearly a decade since the final book in the original series was released.
Continue reading for Amazon’s complete list of the top 20 best-selling books of 2016.
1. Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, Parts 1 & 2, Special Rehearsal Edition Script by J.K. Rowling, Jack Thorne and John Tiffany
2. When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi
3. The Whistler by John Grisham
4. The Last Mile (Amos Decker series) by David Baldacci
5 .Killing the Rising Sun: How America Vanquished World War II Japan by Bill O’Reilly and Martin Dugard
6. Hillbilly Elegy: A Memoir of a Family and Culture in Crisis by J.D. Vance
7. Truly Madly Guilty by Liane Moriarty
8. Night School: A Jack Reacher Novel by Lee Child
9. The Black Widow: Book 16 of Gabriel Allon Series by Daniel Silva
10. Diary of a Wimpy Kid # 11: Double Down by Jeff Kinney
11. 15th Affair (Women’s Murder Club) by James Patterson and Maxine Paetro
12. Before the Fall by Noah Hawley
13. Fool Me Once by Harlan Coben
14. Crisis of Character: A White House Secret Service Officer Discloses His Firsthand Experience with Hillary, Bill, and How They Operate by Gary J. Byrne
15. The Wrong Side of Goodbye: A Harry Bosch Novel by Michael Connelly
16. The Magnolia Story by Chip Gaines and Joanna Gaines
17. The Nest by Cynthia D’Aprix Sweeney
18. One with You: Book 5 of A Crossfire Series by Sylvia Day
19. The Obsession by Nora Roberts
20. Everything We Keep by Kerry Lonsdale
