Book charts dominated by comedy

The new auto-biography from stand-up comedian Lee Evans is leading a comedy invasion in bestselling book charts in the run-up to Christmas.

The Life Of Lee, which charts the writer, actor and stand-up's journey from a Bristol housing estate to arena-headlining success, is currently sitting at number 1 in The Sunday Times' bestsellers hardback chart for 'general' (non-fiction) publications, having sold an estimated 16,240 copies between its release on Thursday 29th September and Saturday 1st October, when the statistics were collected.

The memoir from Gavin & Stacey writer James Corden is listed at second place in the chart. May I Have Your Attention, Please? shifted an estimated 12,295 copies in the same period.

The official companion to drama hit Downton Abbey takes third spot, with Peter Kay's The Book That's More Than Just A Book Book at number four.

Pam Ayres' The Necessary Aptitude comes in at fifth place, and the celebrated spoof auto-biography from Alan Partridge, Steve Coogan's comedy creation, completes the comedy line-up at 6.

Meanwhile, the paperback chart is headed up by Karl Pilkington's An Idiot Abroad, the book accompanying the Sky1 travelogue series of the same name. The hardback edition of the book was a number one bestseller in the run-up to Christmas 2010, and this paperback version has sold an estimated 95,000 copies since its release in June.

Other books out in time for Christmas include a new biography of Marty Feldman; the authorised biography of Ernie Wise, Little Ern!; and The Masters Of Sitcom, a tribute to the life and careers of Ray Galton and Alan Simpson, the writers behind Hancock's Half Hour and Steptoe & Son.

Chart

1. Lee Evans - The Life Of Lee
2. James Corden - May I Have Your Attention, Please?
3. Downton Abbey companion
4. Peter Kay - The Book That's More Than Just A Book Book
5. Pam Ayres - The Necessary Aptitude
6. I, Partridge: We Need To Talk About Alan