The US is experience a boom in demand for e-books. Sales were up almost 116 per cent during January when compared to the same month in 2010, hitting $69.9m.

This despite a 1.9 per cent drop in overall book sales, the Association of American Publishers reported yesterday.

Sales of hardbacks and paperbacks for grown-ups were both down, 11.3 per cent and 19.7 per cent, respectively. Kids' books were down too: 1.9 per cent for hardbacks, 17.7 per cent for softcovers.

Both professional-oriented and religious book sales were up.

Overall the US book sales totalled $805.7m in January, down from $821.5m in January 2010. That gives e-books an 8.7 per cent share of the US book market, up from 3.9 per cent a year ago.

In January, Amazon claimed e-book sales had surpassed paperback purchases, just about. ®

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