Serious nonfiction—the kind of big, weighty book long associated with Father’s Day gifts—is losing ground in the publishing world, The Wall Street Journal writes.
Print sales of nonfiction books are down nearly 8% so far this year, while politics and current affairs titles have fallen 19%, according to Circana BookScan.
Publishers say “dad books,” from presidential biographies to sweeping histories, are being squeezed by changing media habits, especially the rise of podcasts, newsletters, documentaries and YouTube. Readers who once turned to 700-page biographies for deep dives are increasingly getting that fix elsewhere.
Leisure reading in general is declining, even as audiobooks gain popularity. Some nonfiction categories remain strong, particularly self-help, celebrity memoirs and religious titles, but traditional serious nonfiction is becoming a tougher sell.
The Wall Street Journal has the full story.
