Growth Seen in Some Book Industry Sectors, But 2011 Looks Less Rosy

By David Hetherington

● Net revenues for trade paperbacks closed 2010 at $5.27 billion, a 1.2-percent increase over 2008.

● Net units (in trade paperbacks) sold increased 2 percent during the three years reported, totaling 1.1 billion units in 2010.

● Like hardcovers, soft covers' share of the total trade market over the study period dropped in 2010 to 37.8 percent from 39.5 percent in 2008. ● Mass-market paperbacks were savaged by both the recession and e-books over the study period. Net sales for mass-market closed 2010 at $1.28 billion, plummeting 13.8 percent since 2008.