Question
Updated on
10 Oct 2018
- Japanese
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English (UK)
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English (US)
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Question about English (US)
"He had written half a dozen nonfiction books, three of which had spent several weeks each on the bottom third of the best-seller list."
In the sentence above, I don't fully understand the part "the bottom third."
Could anyone tell me the exact meaning of this, or rephrase it in another way?
Thank you.
"He had written half a dozen nonfiction books, three of which had spent several weeks each on the bottom third of the best-seller list."
In the sentence above, I don't fully understand the part "the bottom third."
Could anyone tell me the exact meaning of this, or rephrase it in another way?
Thank you.
In the sentence above, I don't fully understand the part "the bottom third."
Could anyone tell me the exact meaning of this, or rephrase it in another way?
Thank you.
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10 Oct 2018
Featured answer
- English (US)
Assuming the best-seller list is 100 books, he had his books on the bottom third. Those ranks would be around 65 to 100, with 1 being the best.
It is an unusual way to say it, to be fair. But the rank of the books would have changed from week to week. One week his book could be 97, then the next week it could be at 78. Vague statement for vague facts, but much more succinct than giving a blow-by-blow of each of his book's ranks!
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- English (US)
To be on the best-seller list is a major accomplishment. But he is not the very best, he is merely very good. It is like an athlete who represents his country at the Olympics several times. Great!!! But he only got a couple of bronze medals. Boo!!!
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- English (US)
Assuming the best-seller list is 100 books, he had his books on the bottom third. Those ranks would be around 65 to 100, with 1 being the best.
It is an unusual way to say it, to be fair. But the rank of the books would have changed from week to week. One week his book could be 97, then the next week it could be at 78. Vague statement for vague facts, but much more succinct than giving a blow-by-blow of each of his book's ranks!
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- English (US)
I see it more as, damned by faint praise.
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