Books that feature well-known writers discussing literature and art are becoming more popular, with Nabokov's Lectures on Literature, Lectures on Russian Literature and Lectures on Don Quixote, published by the Shanghai Translation Publishing House, selling well.

"Before, we relied on Lolita to sell Nobokov's other works... but only Lolita sold well. But this year, these lectures on literature have sold well on their own without the influence of Lolita," Gu Zhen said.

He has been attempting to tread his own path as an editor, striving to find a balance between his own tastes and those of the public.

"One of the projects that I am working on concerns the five books by Edward Aubyn that feature Patrick Melrose, which were adapted for a TV series in Britain. Gu said. "I put forward the proposal before the series was broadcast. Aubyn writes so well that I wanted to bring the books to China.

"I found five people to translate them. Their ages vary, enabling us to experience Melrose at difference ages."