“INSIGHT,” the memoirs of a famous journalist and TV host from China Central Television (CCTV), was the best-selling book at Shenzhen Book City in 2012, according to the Top 50 Best-selling List from Shenzhen Book City.

    Written by Chai Jing, host of such popular talk shows as “One on One,” the book sold 5,597 copies in the two weeks after it was published late last year, Shenzhen Book City said.

    The book contains her thoughts about her work and experience of growing up. It is not only a personal story but also a reflection of how the country has changed in the past 10 years.

    The list is mostly made up of literary works. These include books by Mo Yan, the winner of last year’s Nobel Prize in Literature. Among the top 10 books, four were written by Mo, including “Frog,” “Mo Yan’s Collection,” and “Big Breasts and Wide Hips.”

    After “Frog” was released in October, it sold 5,107 copies in the last two months of 2012.

    Another book of Mo, “Red Sorghum Clan,” ranks No. 34 on the list. “More than 3,400 copies of the book sold out in a very short period of time. But because they have been on the shelves for a long time, the average monthly sales volume was lower than the rest of his books,” said an official from Shenzhen Book City.

    Many readers also like books written by celebrities such as TV hosts and public figures. For example, “Love Message” written by Taiwanese author and entertainment show host Kevin Tsai, “Open and Frank” by mainland writer and race-car driver Han Han, and “Biography of Steve Jobs” are all on the list. Impressively, Han’s other work “Youth,” which was published in 2011, was still the 18th best-selling book in Shenzhen.

    Meanwhile, the city’s readers also like to read books related to economic issues, such as “China’s Economy, At the Most Dangerous Edge” jointly written by economists Lang Xianping and Sun Jin, “The Third Industrial Revolution” by Jeremy Rifkin from the United States, and “War of Currency IV” by Song Hongbing.

    From the list, it can be seen that Shenzhen readers want more than just books that advise them on economic and business issues. They care about the global situation and the bigger picture of China’s economic development, Shenzhen Book City said.

    As Shenzhen is a busy metropolis where people live highly stressful lives, many people purchase self-help books. Five books of this type are on the list. Among these, “Rip It Up” written by British psychologist Richard Wiseman was the No. 3 bestselling book of 2012.

    “Most of these books teach people the importance of positive thinking, which many urban dwellers think they need more of,” the official said. The book demonstrates actions and training methods to help readers fulfil their potential. Wiseman said in the book that a human body is an “energy source” and a person can show a new self with more confidence and energy.

    Among the Top 50, there are two books directly related to Shenzhen, “Deng Xiaoping’s Speech Made during His South Tour” and “Top 10 Concepts of Shenzhen.”

    (Wang Yuanyuan)