What’s big in 2009: A stab in the dark.

At this time of the year you often find articles about what the most popular books or trends were for 2008, as well as the first ruminations about what might be the big sellers for 2009.  The Guardian Weekly, who are always up with the play, has a link to some publishers predictions.  They seem to be making stabs in the dark about what might be big, and so I thought there should be  no reason why I couldn’t have a go as well.

Obama – we can’t seem to get enough of him.  His inaugural speech was for sale the day after the event, which I thought was pretty impressive.  Books on his wife Michelle are also starting to emerge, and I’m sure that there will be a big pictorial of her “style” within the next few months.

Books about Iraq and Afghanistan are still very popular, and especially anything that concentrates on America’s role. By his own rules: the story of Donald Rumsfeld has obviously been sitting on a publishers desk waiting for a good opportunity to get the widest coverage, and what better publicity than a new President and a possible new approach to the Middle East?

Craft books are always popular, and personally I couldn’t be happier.  Emphasis seems to be on making do, using up those old scraps, creating masterpieces from junk and generally indulging ourselves in creativity.  What better way to cope with the doom and gloom by creating something that only your mother could like?

No longer are we getting the business books on how to be a millionaire in two weeks.  What happens to all these titles?  Should we keep them until there’s a turn around in the economy, or start using them for fire starters?  You can either choose to be an eternal optimist and read A Millionaires options: Unlocking the secrets of successful options investment, or perhaps  Sophie Greys’ ( The Destitute Gourmets ) new book,  Live well, spend less is more realistic.

Dieting books are still being churned out by the dozen. Fat: An appreciation of a misunderstood ingredient goes against everything we have been taught to believe in the last ten years, and The Writing diet: write yourself right-size has great possibilities for bloggers, I can feel the pounds disappearing already!

So don’t miss the opportunity for your say in what’s going to be big this year.  Any ideas for Fiction perhaps?  I’m going for more of the feel good genre, escapism, and less of the misery.  Perhaps even Science Fiction?