Sant vs Rowling on Maltese bookshelves

JK Rowling might have taken the literary world by storm but in Malta the leader of Malta Labour Party and the opposition, Alfred Sant, seems to be giving her a good run for her money.

Harry Potter books have been running neck and neck with Dr Sant's Confessions of a European Maltese in the popularity stakes, according to a comprehensive list of best-sellers collated over the past 12 months.

Yet, thrillers also seem to have struck a chord with Maltese readers as evidenced by the popularity of authors such as John Grisham whose book The Summons is also among the best-selling books.

The lists obtained by The Times also show the massive popularity of coffee table books, clearly reflecting that books are not always bought to be read but to be seen.

Dr Sant's mostly-autobiographical Confessions of a European Maltese has topped the best-selling list of two bookshops - Sapienza's and Agenda Embassy - though Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix features high on each of the five bookshops' lists.

Dr Sant's previous publication - La bidu la tmiem - had also sold like hot cakes, so it was no surprise that his autobiography would equally do well, according to Agenda Bookshops manager Pierre Portelli.

"Since Confessions... was Dr Sant's memoirs, readers might have tried to read as to why he opposed EU membership," Mr Portelli said.

The Harry Potter series has certainly been a money-raker for Chaucer's book-shop in Bay Street since all five of JK Rowling's titles about the boy wizard are in the top 10. Oddly, none of the The Lord of the Rings trilogy are among the best-sellers, even if the second instalment - The Two Towers - drew thousands to the cinemas over Christmas.

Interest in the Lord of the Rings trilogy has waned since its resurgence in the wake of the film adaptations.

In general people did not want to tax their brains and contrary to JK Rowling the JRR Tolkien books did not provide light reading, Mr Portelli said.

The Kappillan of Malta, set in war-torn Malta, might have been published three decades ago but it is still a major best-seller with an estimated 90 per cent of all sales of Nicholas Monsarrat's masterpiece sold to foreigners.

David Trump's Malta Prehistory and Temples is also among the most sought-after history books by tourists.

With five different cookery books among the best-sellers, one would also think that the Maltese are gourmet chefs.

On the other hand, the lists surprisingly show a dearth of humour books, despite the constant flow of hilarious books penned by reputed authors like Ben Elton and Nick Hornby.

But for Mr Portelli this comes as no surprise. "I sincerely believe us Maltese don't have a sense of humour. We don't even laugh at our politicians during Carnival time. We simply take ourselves too seriously but perhaps this is a reflection of the parochial attitude of small countries."

Reviewing Sapienza's top 10, manager Kristina Chetcuti said it was evident that there were many book-collectors around.

In fact out of the popular Republic Street bookshop's top 10, just one title, the latest Harry Potter offering, is a fiction book.

Ms Chetcuti said that sales of certain books like Blame it on Dom and Confessions of a European Maltese were fuelled by the election fever.

Blame it on Dom, a collection of Maurice Tanti Burlo's newspaper illustrations spanning 25 years, was also timely released in the run-up to Christmas, making it an ideal gift.

Ms Chetcuti said there were a number of reasons why Dr Sant's book was the year's best-seller.

"He is a politician, he is someone who's constantly in the limelight and whatever he does would generate interest. If President Guido de Marco had to publish his memoirs there will be the same kind of interest," she envisaged.

One other bookseller, who preferred to remain anonymous, pinned down the popularity of Confessions of a European Maltese squarely to fanaticism.

"When the book was published, I had people coming up to me asking me how much the book cost because they admitted they couldn't read and that they were buying it solely out of allegiance to their leader," he said.

"The same would happen if Eddie Fenech Adami published his autobiography."

The love for reading was not in fact the primary factor which reflected book sales, most booksellers agreed.

One bookseller claimed he has had abnormal requests to the extent that some customers have even asked for books not by their title but by their size.

"Only recently someone walked in and demanded a book measuring 30cm by 8cm so it could fit perfectly in his newly-bought showcase," he laughed.

Sapienza's Top 10:

1. Confessions of a European Maltese
2. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
3. Malta Prehistory and Temples
4. Blame it on Dom
5. Maze, Street Atlas of Malta 2002
6. Fortress Malta: Under Siege
7. Treasures of Malta: V9 No 1
8. Delitti f'Malta
9. Food and Cookery of Malta
10. Cooking with Maltese Olive Oil

Booksplus:

1. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
2. The Alchemist
3. English Grammar in Use
4. The Pelican Brief
5. The Summons
6. Lonely Planet Travel Guides
7. The Kappillan of Malta
8. Life of Pi
9. One Hundred Years of Solitude
10. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

Chaucer's:

1. The Summons
2. Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone
3. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
4. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
5. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
6. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
7. The Maltese Cuisine
8. The Unexplained
9. Delitti f'Malta
10. Blame it on Dom

Agenda Embassy:

1. Confessions of a European Maltese
2. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
3. The Summons
4. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
5. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
6. The Kappillan of Malta
7. History of the World
8. Who Stole Noddy's Car Activity Book
9. Mini Cookshelf: Pasta
10. Cookery of the Maltese Islands

Agenda Plaza:

1. The Summons
2. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
3. The Kiss
4. Cooking with Maltese Olive Oil
5. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
6. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
7. Blame it on Dom
8. Let's Cook - Baking and Desserts
9. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
10. The Kappillan of Malta