Amazon Maps the 50 Greatest Love Stories by State
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Just in time for Valentine’s Day, Amazon has released a fun infographic to coincide with its list of the most romantic cities in the country. The annual list, which contains some repeat accolades for some cities but some new names on the list, was based on sales of romance titles, relationship help titles, DVDs and music, and sexual wellness aides. Knoxville, Tennessee, tops the list again, while Boise, Idaho, was the least romantic city based on consumers’ purchasing.
Along with the data from sales activity garnered over the course of the last year, Amazon’s editorial staffers brainstormed a map of the 50 greatest love stories, attributing at least one well-loved title per state based on the book’s setting. Several states had runner-up titles in addition to their top picks, based on support for the titles from the staff.
“With 50 Great American Love Stories, we wanted to pay tribute to all the ways love shapes our lives,” said Sara Nelson, Editorial Director of Books and Kindle at Amazon.com. “From novels of romance and consuming passion, to twisted tales of love gone wrong, to portrayals of the complicated bonds between family and friends, these books are all, one way or another, about love.”
Amazon’s picks include stories of love of all kinds, romance and familial or friendship love included. From John Irving’s Cider House Rules to Fannie Flagg’s Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistlestop Cafe, the stories encompass so many of the tales that shape readers’ hearts and have defined the genre of great love stories. The complete list of beloved book titles by state is available at amazon.com/americanlovestories or by clicking HERE, along with the linked map to each book by its respective state. Amazon has also compiled a special list of treats for those readers looking for Valentine’s inspiration, available at amazon.com/valentines.
Mercy Pilkington is a young-adult author and a teacher in a correctional facility. She does not have a single textbook in her classroom. With the top-of-the-line technology at her disposal and the low reading ability of many of her students, there’s no need for standard paper texts. Instead she relies on e-readers, iPads, desktop PCs, Polycom video conferencing equipment for virtual field trips, live streaming for science demonstrations, and text-to-speech read-aloud software to teach English and science. Within the next ten years, public school classrooms across the country are going to look a lot more like Mercy’s classroom because the educational possibilities with these kinds of technologies are limitless. Have a question? Send an email to mercypilkington@yahoo.com
