The Results of the 2008 Audiobooks Promotion

The winner has been chosen!! - Congratulations to the Douglas Adams classic The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy!!

The UK has voted for its favourite audiobook as the classic science fiction tale The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Primary Phase. The book - also voted the nation's number four favourite novel in the BBC's Big Read poll in 2003 - was originally created as a radio play by Douglas Adams. First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in 1978, the poll confirms Hitchhiker's place in the comic canon, and is also testament to the power of comedy in audio form.

The top 5 audiobooks, as voted for by the public, in winning order:
1. The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Primary Phase, by Douglas Adams, read by a full cast (BBC)
2. Attention All Shipping, by Charlie Connolly, read by Andrew Jennings (Little, Brown)
3. Romeo and Juliet, by William Shakespeare, read by Joan Walker and cast (SmartPass)
4. The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, by Mark Haddon, read by Ben Tibber (RandomHouse)
5. I'm Sorry I Haven't A Clue - Anniversary Special, read by a full cast (BBC)

A de-brief meeting for the 40 Best Audiobook Promotion took place on Wednesday, 19th August 2008 in the boardroom of 1 Alfred Place, London, WC1E 7EB. Where Nielsen BookScan representative Julie Meynink (Business Development Director) presented a number of findings from the promotion.These included:

• 70% increase in sales for all of the 40 selected audiobook titles in the 4w/e 12th July.
• The fiction sector saw sales growth of 187% in the 4 w/e 12th July, the highest of all sectors featured.
• I'm Sorry I Haven't a Clue was the best selling audio title in the 8 w/e 9th Aug and was voted the fifth most popular audio book.