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‘The Handmaid’s Tale’ is the most-read Kindle book of the year, says Amazon

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The online retailer Amazon released its list of the most-read Kindle and Audible books of 2017, with Margaret Atwood’s 1985 dystopian novel “The Handmaid’s Tale” taking the top spot in the fiction category.

Coming in second on the list, which doesn’t reflect physical book sales, was Stephen King’s 1986 horror novel, “It.” Both “The Handmaid’s Tale” and King’s book saw blockbuster adaptations this year, with Atwood’s novel becoming a breakout television hit on Hulu and a film version of “It” breaking box office records.

The remainder of the list was dominated by J.K. Rowling, who had four “Harry Potter” books making the cut.

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The No. 1 nonfiction book on the list was a snarky self-help guide by Mark Manson with a title that can’t be fully printed here, but which begins with “The Subtle Art of Not Giving....” J.D. Vance’s “Hillbilly Elegy” came in at No. 2. Other notable titles on the nonfiction list included Ron Chernow’s biography “Alexander Hamilton,” which was adapted into a blockbuster Broadway musical, and “Daily Show” host Trevor Noah’s memoir, “Born a Crime.”

“The Handmaid’s Tale” also proved to be a fixture on Amazon’s wish lists — it was the third most-wished-for book, according to the company, finishing behind Manson’s and Vance’s books. Atwood’s novel also dominated Kindle sales in every state except for Utah, which favored Brandon Sanderson’s fantasy novel “Oathbringer,” and Ohio, which gave the nod to native son Vance’s “Hillbilly Elegy.”

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Atwood’s novel seems likely to resonate next year as well — the second season of the Emmy-winning television show based on the book, which stars Elisabeth Moss and Joseph Fiennes, is set to debut in April 2018.

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