Key facts
- UK poetry sales are on track to exceed £15 million annually for the first time.
- Sales of Homer's 'The Odyssey' and 'The Iliad' have contributed significantly to the growth.
- Christopher Nolan's film adaptation of 'The Odyssey' led to a 1,400% surge in print sales for the epic poem.
- The poetry market has seen growth beyond ancient epics, driven by contemporary poets like Donna Ashworth and Lucas Jones.
- Emily Wilson, translator of 'The Odyssey', has publicly criticized the film adaptation for its lack of depth.
UK poetry sales are experiencing an unprecedented surge, projected to reach a record high of £17 million this year, largely propelled by the success of Christopher Nolan's recent film adaptation of Homer's ancient epic, 'The Odyssey'. Data from NielsenIQ indicates that poetry sales have already surpassed £8 million in the first 30 weeks of 2026, marking a 13.3% increase over the same period in the previous year.
The film's release has dramatically boosted interest in Homer's work, with print sales of 'The Odyssey' editions soaring by 1,400% in the four weeks following the movie's debut. Collectively, editions of 'The Odyssey' and 'The Iliad' have generated £980,000 in poetry sales so far this year, accounting for a significant portion of the market's growth. The film itself achieved Nolan's best opening weekend at the global box office, earning $264 million.
Beyond the ancient epics, the broader poetry category is also thriving, showing a 7.2% increase even after excluding sales of 'The Odyssey' and 'The Iliad'. This sustained growth is partly attributed to the popularity of more accessible, social media-friendly poets. Scottish writer Donna Ashworth continues to be a bestseller, and actor and poet Lucas Jones's debut collection, 'I Still Believe in Miracles', has become the year's top-selling poetry title by value, generating £400,000.
Philip Stone of NielsenIQ noted that the poetry sector was already on an upward trend, influenced by 'Instapoets' like Rupi Kaur, which have shifted poetry from an academic category to a lifestyle and gift genre. However, the film adaptation of 'The Odyssey' has drawn criticism from Emily Wilson, the acclaimed translator of the epic. In a scathing review for the London Review of Books, Wilson described the film as lacking psychological and ethical depth, with abysmal writing and unconvincing character motivations. Interest in audiobook versions of 'The Odyssey', narrated by figures like Stephen Fry and Ian McKellen, has also seen a resurgence.