Bestsellers

A lot of the people who read a bestselling novel, for example, do not read much other fiction. By contrast, the audience for an obscure novel is largely composed of people who read a lot. That means the least popular books are judged by people who have the highest standards, while the most popular are judged by people who literally do not know any better. An American who read just one book this year was disproportionately likely to have read The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown. He almost certainly liked it.

- The Economist

True that. But you know, I wonder about books that will really go down in history. Will it be Bolaño's 2666 or will it be Gilbert's Eat, Pray, Love? I know what I would vote for, but there is something to be said for a book that has at least gotten that person to read one book.