Best-Selling Books of 2008

The top 100 on Amazon UK that year.

A definitive look back at the 2008 Amazon UK chart. Click any cover to find it on Amazon.

With the main series done, The Tales of Beedle the Bard kept Rowling at number one on a spin-off fairy-tale. The defining pattern, though, is the arrival of Twilight: all four Stephenie Meyer books charted, signalling the young-adult vampire boom about to dominate. Barack Obama placed two titles, Dreams from My Father and The Audacity of Hope, as election fever crossed the Atlantic. The surprises are quieter, Markus Zusak's The Book Thief and Aliens Love Underpants, the picture book that became a phenomenon. A transitional year where Hogwarts faded and Forks, Washington took over.

Born in 2008? See everything that topped the UK charts in 2008 — books, film, games and music.

← 2007 2008 2009 →

#1 — The Tales of Beedle the Bard, Standard Edition

The Tales of Beedle the Bard, Standard Edition

4.6 · 662

#2 — Dear Fatty

Dear Fatty

4.1 · 457

#3 — Jamie's Ministry of Food: Anyone Can Learn to Cook in 24 Hou...

Jamie's Ministry of Food: Anyone Can Learn to Cook in 24 Hou...

4.8 · 848

#4 — Delia's How to Cheat at Cooking

Delia's How to Cheat at Cooking

3.6 · 295

#5 — A Thousand Splendid Suns

A Thousand Splendid Suns

4.8 · 1

#6 — Barack Obama: Dreams from My Father (A Story of Race and Inh...

Barack Obama: Dreams from My Father (A Story of Race and Inh...

4.5 · 317

#7 — Jamie at Home: Cook Your Way to the Good Life

Jamie at Home: Cook Your Way to the Good Life

4.4 · 243

#8 — The Book Thief

The Book Thief

4.6 · 4

#9 — Aliens Love Underpants!

Aliens Love Underpants!

4.7 · 356

#10 — Twilight: Twilight, Book 1: 1/4 (Twilight Saga)

Twilight: Twilight, Book 1: 1/4 (Twilight Saga)

4.4 · 2

#11 — A Quiet Belief In Angels

A Quiet Belief In Angels

4.2 · 500

#12 — The Big Book of Top Gear 2009

The Big Book of Top Gear 2009

4.2 · 39

#13 — New Moon: 2 (Twilight Saga)

New Moon: 2 (Twilight Saga)

4.5 · 8

#14 — The Kite Runner

The Kite Runner

4.6 · 6

#15 — Guinness World Records 2009

Guinness World Records 2009

4.4 · 32

#16 — Chinese Food Made Easy

Chinese Food Made Easy

4.3 · 236

#17 — Nigella Christmas: Food, Family, Friends, Festivities

Nigella Christmas: Food, Family, Friends, Festivities

4.6 · 305

#18 — Brisingr (The Inheritance Cycle)

Brisingr (The Inheritance Cycle)

4.2 · 293

#19 — The Secret 10th Anniversary Edition

The Secret 10th Anniversary Edition

4.2 · 9

#20 — Breaking Dawn: Twilight, Book 4 (Twilight Saga)

Breaking Dawn: Twilight, Book 4 (Twilight Saga)

4.4 · 8

#21 — At My Mother's Knee ...

At My Mother's Knee ...

4.7 · 569

#22 — The White Tiger

The White Tiger

4.1 · 431

#23 — The Forgotten Garden

The Forgotten Garden

4.5 · 841

#24 — The Mighty Book of Boosh

The Mighty Book of Boosh

4.6 · 84

#25 — Eclipse: 3 (Twilight Saga)

Eclipse: 3 (Twilight Saga)

4.6 · 8

#26 — That's Another Story: The Autobiography

That's Another Story: The Autobiography

4.2 · 206

#27 — The Shack

The Shack

4.2 · 6

#28 — The Official Highway Code

The Official Highway Code

4.7 · 7

#29 — Nigella Express

Nigella Express

4.6 · 406

#30 — Parky - My Autobiography

Parky - My Autobiography

3.7 · 70

#31 — The Audacity of Hope: Thoughts on Reclaiming the American Dr...

The Audacity of Hope: Thoughts on Reclaiming the American Dr...

4.4 · 143

#32 — The Road Home

The Road Home

4.1 · 241

#33 — The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas

The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas

4.4 · 4

#34 — The Tales of Beedle the Bard, Collector's Edition (Offered E...

The Tales of Beedle the Bard, Collector's Edition (Offered E...

4.6 · 662

#35 — Random Acts Of Heroic Love

Random Acts Of Heroic Love

3.9 · 149

#36 — Top Gear The Official Annual 2009

Top Gear The Official Annual 2009

4.1 · 18

#37 — For Crying Out Loud: The World According to Clarkson Volume ...

For Crying Out Loud: The World According to Clarkson Volume ...

4.6 · 89

#38 — QI: Advanced Banter

QI: Advanced Banter

4.4 · 88

#39 — Devil May Care (James Bond)

Devil May Care (James Bond)

3.2 · 200

#40 — Nation

Nation

4.5 · 254

#41 — Stick Man

Stick Man

4.8 · 3

#42 — Good Food: One-pot Dishes: Triple-tested Recipes: Tried-and-...

Good Food: One-pot Dishes: Triple-tested Recipes: Tried-and-...

4.4 · 286

#43 — Azincourt

Azincourt

4.3 · 439

#44 — Notes From An Exhibition

Notes From An Exhibition

4.1 · 276

#45 — I Can Make You Thin

I Can Make You Thin

4.1 · 933

#46 — Look Who It Is! Alan Carr - My Story

Look Who It Is! Alan Carr - My Story

4.6 · 338

#47 — The Outcast

The Outcast

4.1 · 292

#48 — The Gift

The Gift

4.2 · 255

#49 — On Chesil Beach

On Chesil Beach

3.7 · 399

#50 — The Very Hungry Caterpillar [Board Book]

The Very Hungry Caterpillar [Board Book]

4.7 · 1

#51 — Bad Science

Bad Science

4.5 · 865

#52 — IEE On-site Guide; BS 7671 : 2008 IEE Wiring Regulations 17t...

IEE On-site Guide; BS 7671 : 2008 IEE Wiring Regulations 17t...

4.5 · 104

#53 — Who Moved My Cheese: An Amazing Way to Deal with Change in Y...

Who Moved My Cheese: An Amazing Way to Deal with Change in Y...

4.3 · 739

#54 — Indian Food Made Easy

Indian Food Made Easy

4.2 · 138

#55 — Annabel Karmel's New Complete Baby & Toddler Meal Planner (2...

Annabel Karmel's New Complete Baby & Toddler Meal Planner (2...

4.6 · 6

#56 — IEE Wiring Regulations 17th Edition : (BS 7671: 2008) (With ...

IEE Wiring Regulations 17th Edition : (BS 7671: 2008) (With ...

4.1 · 95

#57 — The God Delusion

The God Delusion

4.0 · 1

#58 — Do Polar Bears Get Lonely?: And 101 Other Intriguing Science...

Do Polar Bears Get Lonely?: And 101 Other Intriguing Science...

4.3 · 49

#59 — No Time For Goodbye

No Time For Goodbye

4.2 · 612

#60 — A Thousand Splendid Suns

A Thousand Splendid Suns

4.8 · 1

#61 — The Private Patient (Inspector Adam Dalgliesh Mystery)

The Private Patient (Inspector Adam Dalgliesh Mystery)

3.5 · 219

#62 — Blood River: A Journey to Africa's Broken Heart

Blood River: A Journey to Africa's Broken Heart

4.3 · 208

#63 — Eat, Pray, Love: One Woman's Search for Everything

Eat, Pray, Love: One Woman's Search for Everything

3.8 · 843

#64 — The Book of General Ignorance (A Quite Interesting Book)

The Book of General Ignorance (A Quite Interesting Book)

4.4 · 144

#65 — Ottolenghi: The Cookbook

Ottolenghi: The Cookbook

4.7 · 462

#66 — How to feed your whole family: A healthy, balanced diet with...

How to feed your whole family: A healthy, balanced diet with...

4.1 · 221

#67 — The Black Swan: The Impact of the Highly Improbable

The Black Swan: The Impact of the Highly Improbable

3.4 · 340

#68 — Fern: My Story

Fern: My Story

4.5 · 102

#69 — Gordon Ramsay's Healthy Appetite

Gordon Ramsay's Healthy Appetite

4.1 · 55

#70 — Room on the Broom

Room on the Broom

4.9 · 7

#71 — The Gruffalo

The Gruffalo

4.9 · 7

#72 — Stephen Fry in America

Stephen Fry in America

4.0 · 58

#73 — This Charming Man

This Charming Man

3.8 · 379

#74 — Bake

Bake

4.6 · 228

#75 — Watchmen

Watchmen

4.7 · 332

#76 — The Snowball: Warren Buffett and the Business of Life

The Snowball: Warren Buffett and the Business of Life

4.4 · 108

#77 — Revelation (The Shardlake Series)

Revelation (The Shardlake Series)

4.7 · 895

#78 — The Ascent of Money: A Financial History of the World

The Ascent of Money: A Financial History of the World

4.3 · 138

#79 — The Suspicions of Mr. Whicher

The Suspicions of Mr. Whicher

3.4 · 410

#80 — The Road

The Road

4.2 · 9

#81 — Construction Skills Health & Safety Test: All the Questions ...

Construction Skills Health & Safety Test: All the Questions ...

4.5 · 158

#82 — There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly (Classic Books wit...

There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly (Classic Books wit...

4.4 · 527

#83 — The House at Riverton

The House at Riverton

4.0 · 755

#84 — Cognitive Behavioural Therapy For Dummies

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy For Dummies

4.4 · 175

#85 — Now, Discover Your Strengths: How To Develop Your Talents An...

Now, Discover Your Strengths: How To Develop Your Talents An...

4.2 · 86

#86 — Carra: My Autobiography

Carra: My Autobiography

4.6 · 92

#87 — An Utterly Impartial History of Britain: (or 2000 Years Of U...

An Utterly Impartial History of Britain: (or 2000 Years Of U...

4.1 · 266

#88 — The Snail and the Whale

The Snail and the Whale

4.8 · 908

#89 — Once Upon a Time in the North (His Dark Materials)

Once Upon a Time in the North (His Dark Materials)

4.5 · 61

#90 — The Time Traveler's Wife

The Time Traveler's Wife

4.3 · 2

#91 — High School Musical Annual 2009

High School Musical Annual 2009

4.8 · 4

#92 — Official "High School Musical" Calendar 2009

Official "High School Musical" Calendar 2009

4.7 · 6

#93 — Artemis Fowl and the Time Paradox: 6

Artemis Fowl and the Time Paradox: 6

4.6 · 69

#94 — His Dark Materials Slipcase

His Dark Materials Slipcase

4.5 · 2

#95 — Tricks Of The Mind

Tricks Of The Mind

4.2 · 319

#96 — The Uncommon Reader

The Uncommon Reader

4.4 · 449

#97 — Harry Hill's Whopping Great Joke Book

Harry Hill's Whopping Great Joke Book

4.3 · 92

#98 — Mister Pip

Mister Pip

4.0 · 193

#99 — The Beano Annual 2009

The Beano Annual 2009

4.8 · 19

#100 — To Kill A Mockingbird

To Kill A Mockingbird

4.7 · 5

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