Watching the clock count down for each title in the sale has undoubtedly enlivened much of the past 24 hours but we are puzzled about the fact that it’s not the big, Christmas gift blockbusters which are whizzing out the fastest but paperback fiction like Catch-22, Slaughterhouse 5, The Catcher in the Rye – perhaps there’s a lesson here for booksellers and publishers: stop discounting the big fat cookery books and celebrity stuff and quietly knock a few pounds or dollars off the books that people will always want to read.

Equally fascinating is the feature which shows you what people are ordering around the world – while Tom Clancy was being offered with a 65% reduction, steady business was proceeding with such titles as Favourite British Sausage Recipes (which went to Australia), Some Thoughts Concerning Education (to Ireland), Spot’s First Christmas (also to Australia), Death Comes to Pemberley (to Cyprus), Yoga Dogs & Yoga Puppies 2012 Wall Calendar and the timeless classic, In-situ Concrete Industrial Hardstandings.

One immensely popular title, selling well in the UK and down under is Father Christmas Needs a Wee by Nicholas Allen….