Election Didn't Turn Off Voters to Political Memoirs
November 23 2016 - 1:04PM
Dow Jones News
By Jeffrey A. Trachtenberg
A week after Election Day, it turns out that readers were ready
for more.
Two highly anticipated memoirs, Sen. Bernie Sanders's "Our
Revolution: A Future to Believe In," and Fox News star Megyn
Kelly's "Settle for More, " have been hot sellers since each went
on sale Nov. 15.
In the first six days on bookstore shelves, Ms. Kelly's memoir
sold 64,000 copies, while former Democratic presidential contender
Sen. Sanders's book sold 45,000 copies, according to Nielsen
BookScan, which tracks 85% of retail book sales in the U.S.
excluding digital copies.
On Wednesday morning, Ms. Kelly's book ranked No. 7 on
Amazon.com Inc.'s best-seller list, while Sen. Sanders's book
ranked No. 12. The two have been neck-and-neck on Amazon since
their release.
Both titles were highly anticipated, particularly after the
surprise victory of Donald Trump in the presidential election. Sen.
Sanders had been a close contender for the Democratic presidential
nomination, and his book was expected to give an intimate view of
the campaign.
Ms. Kelly's book, some of which leaked prior to publication,
dished on her public feud with Mr. Trump. Ms. Kelly had asked him a
question during a Republican presidential debate about disparaging
comments he had made about women.
Ms. Kelly also addressed her relationship with former Fox News
chief Roger Ailes, who resigned in July amid accusations of sexual
harassment. Ms. Kelly wrote in her book that she too had been
harassed by her former boss. Mr. Ailes has denied her allegations,
saying in a statement, "I worked tirelessly to promote and advance
her career."
HarperCollins Publishers, announced a hardcover printing of 2
million copies for "Settle for More." A spokeswoman declined to
provide an update. Fox News is part of 21st Century Fox, which,
like News Corp, the owner of The Wall Street Journal and
HarperCollins Publishers, counts Rupert Murdoch and his family as
major stakeholders.
Ms. Kelly has promoted her book in TV interviews and at a Barnes
& Noble Inc. bookstore in Manhattan. Upcoming appearances
include a sold-out event on Dec. 5 in Washington, D.C.
"People want to come because she's smart, attractive and
famous," said Mark LaFramboise, chief buyer for the Politics &
Prose bookstore, which is the event's co-organizer. The bookstore
sold 12 copies of Ms. Kelly's book and about 50 copies of "Our
Revolution" during the first week the titles were on sale, he
said.
Thomas Dunne Books, an imprint of St. Martin's Press, printed
300,000 hardcover copies of "Our Revolution" by Nov. 15 and has
since gone back to print, said veteran publisher Thomas Dunne.
"He's been working like a dog," said Mr. Dunne, referring to
Sen. Sanders. "He wants it to be successful."
Mr. Dunne expects media interest in Sen. Sanders to remain
strong through the New Year, driving book sales through the
holidays. "He's been waiting nearly his entire life to give this
message to huge audiences," said Mr. Dunne. "Happily, they're
buying books."
Prior to publication of Sen. Sanders's memoir, Vivien Jennings,
owner of the independent store Rainy Day Books based in Fairway,
Kan., suggested readers might have had their fill of presidential
politics after Election Day.
Sen. Sanders's book has since sold four copies at her bookstore,
while Ms. Kelly's book has sold 16 copies. In addition, Rainy Days
Books has sold more than 800 copies of Ms. Kelly's book related to
a luncheon it is co-sponsoring with the The KMBZ Speaker Series on
Nov. 29 in Olathe, Kan.
"People are interested in her book because she was right in the
middle of everything," said Ms. Jennings.
Write to Jeffrey A. Trachtenberg at
jeffrey.trachtenberg@wsj.com
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
November 23, 2016 12:49 ET (17:49 GMT)
Copyright (c) 2016 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.
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