Pride in North East shows in book sales

Dec 23 2009 by Joanne Butcher, The Journal

LOCAL bestsellers are topping the charts on Tyneside this Christmas.

Bookworms in the North East have shunned national stars for local heroes over the festive period.

And some surprising titles are giving the likes of Delia Smith and Jeremy Clarkson a run for their money in the bestsellers lists – proving just how proud North Easterners are of the place they live.

Half of the top-selling non-fiction books at Waterstones in Newcastle have a local flavour.

Lovable duo Ant and Dec come at the head of the Top 10 with their autobiography, beating Scottish comedian Frankie Boyle’s autobiography into second place while cookery queen Delia Smith came in third with her newest offering, Delia’s Happy Christmas.

Ex-Newcastle and England football hero Sir Bobby Robson, who passed away this year, also comes in at number seven on the North East chart with his autobiography Farewell but Not Goodbye, one place above motoring presenter Jeremy Clarkson.

The bestsellers list also features Taste of the North-East Vol 4 – a cookbook featuring mouth-watering local recipes from chefs at 31 of the region’s leading restaurants – which was produced by The Journal.

And a low-down on the Tyneside/ Wearside rivalry, Geordies Vs Mackems and Mackems Vs Geordies by Ian Black, came in at number 10.

An unlikely contender for the top spot is an architectural guide to Newcastle and Gateshead, which sits at number six on the Christmas chart.

The Pevsner Architectural Guide by Grace McCombie offers a lively and authoritative survey of the buildings of Tyneside, from the medieval castle and cathedral at Newcastle to the spectacular buildings spearheading the renaissance of Gateshead on the river’s south bank.