Super Thursday sees bookshops start Christmas countdown

The race for the top 10 Christmas books begins today with more than 800 titles in the running.

Memoirs from comedian Dawn French, chat show host Michael Parkinson and actress Julie Walters are among the hundreds being published today as possible contenders. Chefs Nigella Lawson, Jamie Oliver, Gary Rhodes and Rick Stein are also hitting the shelves as well as books by sportsmen Johnny Wilkinson and Shane Warne on what has been dubbed "Super Thursday".

Michael Jones, books category manager at Borders, who coined the phrase, said: "So many of the really big books that are contenders to be in the top 10 are coming out. I can't remember there being one day or even one week when it's been like this. We've known about this day for a while so we're prepared."

Benedicte Page of the industry magazine The Bookseller, predicted the credit crunch would not have an impact on pre-Christmas book sales.

He said: "Books traditionally continue to sell well during tricky times, with parents, for example, deciding against the expensive computer game and going for the cheaper option. Books do tend to perform well during difficult financial times; they're very good value as a present and I think sellers are quite optimistic that in spite of everything that's going on, they will do well."