Hermann Hesse’s classic novel Siddhartha has claimed the top spot on the weekly bestseller list at Kyobo Book Centre for the fourth week of June.
Originally published in 1922, Siddhartha was written after the author suffered from a period of severe depression that had made creative work nearly impossible. The novel follows the spiritual journey of Siddhartha, the son of a Brahmin, as he seeks enlightenment. Much like Hesse’s other masterpiece, Demian, it is considered a significant coming-of-age story.
The recent surge in popularity is attributed to a combination of factors, including the "Hip-Buddhism" trend among young readers and the strong brand fandom built by Minumsa, the publisher. Kyobo Book Centre data reveals that the book is particularly popular among women in their 20s (21.9%) and 30s (21.8%).
Meanwhile, Carl Sagan’s scientific classic Cosmos (published by ScienceBooks) is also seeing a resurgence, ranking 11th on the overall bestseller list this week.
Since the release of the complete hardcover edition in 2004, Cosmos surpassed one million copies sold this past April—an extraordinary feat for a 720-page "brick book." To commemorate this milestone, the publisher recently released a special cover edition. According to ScienceBooks, sales of Cosmos have increased by more than 25% compared to the same period last year. This renewed interest is largely driven by various scientists citing the book as their "book of a lifetime" on YouTube, along with the buzz surrounding the release of the commemorative edition.
Unlike many other bestsellers that primarily appeal to readers in their 20s and 30s, Cosmos enjoys broad support across older demographics, with 30-somethings (24.7%), 40-somethings (36.9%), and 50-somethings (21.1%) accounting for a significant portion of its readership.
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