12.Amazon's Top 100book list changes hourly,but two coloring books for grownups are the mainstays right now.
An artist named Johanna Basford pretty much owns two slots of the top seven books on Amazon,next to household names like Erik Larson and Dr.Phil.But Basford's books aren't novels---they're collections of black-and-white drawings.The artist,who graduated from design school in 2005and is based in Scotland,has turned her lovely ink drawings into coloring books"for grownups."And they're wildly popular,selling millions of copies.
What is it about these books that has made them so popular with adults?Basford told me that when she first suggested to publishers the idea of a grownup coloring book four years ago,"colouring for adults wasn't the trend it is now.You can imagine how quiet they went after I suggested it."
But the book she ended up drawing has become a phenomenon:2013's Secret Garden:An Inky Treasure Hunt and Coloring Book is currently#2on Amazon's Top 100and has sold 1.4million copies.The followup,Enchanted Forest:An Inky Quest & Coloring Book,is#6right now.Why is coloring suddenly a craze amongst grownups?
Basford pointed to some reasons---first,that coloring books are a way for adults who don't normally draw or paint to be creative."A blank sheet of paper can be discouraging,but a colouring book acts as a bit of a buffer(緩沖) in this situation,"she says.
Second,coloring books don't require anywhere near as much logical thought as,say,drawing a portrait.There are psychological benefits,too:
"I've heard from so many people ranging from lawyers,financial advisers,business owners and busy mums,all say the same thing:that colouring helps them relax.Then there're people who are recovering from illness or dealing with a difficult time in their lives,they too find the calming effects of colouring is beneficial to them."
What's so striking about Secret Garden and Enchanted Forest is that they've managed to stay at the top of Amazon's best seller list as physical books,alongside those that can be instantly downloaded and read.Basford hears that too:She points out that her books are an activity that can be done without the help of your wifi router."It's a chance to unplug,look away from the screens and do something fun,"she says.Maybe Basford has plugged into a vast and unacknowledged desire to really,actually do nothing---to let the brain take over,without the technology.
Secret Garden & Enchanted Forest
Author Johnna Basford | ●She is an artist graduating from design school and(71)living/working now in Scotland. ●She(72)ranks/comes third on Amazon behind Erik Larson and Dr.Phil. ●With all the publishers'(73)disapproval/disagreement(s)/objection(s,she still stuck to her idea to draw. |
About the books | ●They are coloring books,many black-and-white drawings (74)contained. ●(75)Adults/Grownups are their target readers. ●They have become extremely successful,with millions of copies sold. ●Strikingly,as physical books,they top Amazon's best seller list along with(76)e-books. |
Reasons why the books have become such a(n) (77)hit/success | ●Compared with a blank sheet of paper,it can (78)encourage people to be creative in drawing or painting. ●They can bring inner (79)calmness/peace/relaxation to patients and stress-out adults with different occupations. ●They allows people the (80)chance/possibility to have entertainment without technology. |