The numbers are in, and we're ready to unveil the most popular books at the library in 2014. The rankings are based on a combination of checkouts and hold requests, and one thing is clear: reading is popular with adults, teens and kids alike.
Chicago author Gillian Flynn tops the most popular adult fiction list for a second year in a row, with her runaway bestseller Gone Girl, the basis for the recent hit movie that is currently garnering awards buzz. In a close second is Donna Tartt's The Goldfinch, which blew up in a big way in late 2013. As for books published in 2014, Sue Monk Kidd's The Invention of Wings (published way back in January) ranks highest, boosted by Oprah Winfrey, who selected it for her new book club. (Will she select a new title this year?) This is followed by the latest from J. K. Rowling (writing as Robert Galbraith). Cracking the top ten is one of our top ten favorites for the year, All the Light We Cannot See, which has such demand that it's likely to appear on next year's list, too.
The most popular adult nonfiction list is topped by a beloved bestseller (Unbroken) which was made into a movie currently in theaters, and features a few others made into movies and TV shows. Michael Lewis's Flash Boys, at number 2, is the highest ranking 2014 book. Another 2014 publication, Lena Dunham's Not That Kind of Girl leads a continuing trend on the list for books by funny women. Amy Poehler is not far behind but her book (Yes Please) came out later and may very well outpace Dunham's book on next year's list. Just missing the top ten is another 2014 book, and perhaps the unlikeliest bestseller of the year, Thomas Piketty's Capital in the Twenty-First Century.
The top book on this year's most popular teen books list needs very little introduction, certainly not to teens: The Fault in Our Stars by (former Chicagoan) John Green. Another of his books show up at number 10, and in between we find two enormously popular series by Suzanne Collins and Veronica Roth plus Eleanor & Park by rising star author Rainbow Rowell.
Superheroes from Batman to Captain Underpants dominate the most popular kids' books list, and with Wonder Woman outpacing Superman, it seems some kids, at least, are ready for the recently announced Wonder Woman movie. Jeff Kinney's latest Wimpy Kid book doesn't make it (due to its release late in the year, it's likely to show up on next year's list), but the previous book (Hard Luck) in the series is holding strong at number 1.
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