Lucianne Goldberg: Hillary's Book Sales 'Way Below 200,000'

NewsMax.com ^ | 6/14/03 | Carl Limbacher and NewsMax.com Staff

[kattracks]

According to renowned New York City literary agent Lucianne Goldberg, those fabulous book sale figures racked up by Hillary Clinton's "Living History" may turn out to be mere publishing industry hype.

Reacting to Tuesday's reports Mrs. Clinton sold 200,000 copies a day after her book's release, Goldberg told syndicated radio hosts John Batchelor and Paul Alexander, "I'm told you can't get those figures in one day."

Citing another publishing source, she added, "They do have a system for [tallying up early book sales] but they doubt that they were able to access it that swiftly."

While Goldberg said her sources didn't have an accurate sales figure for Hillary's book, she put the number at "way below 200,000."

What about Simon & Schuster's million copy initial press run? Goldberg said the figure is just public relations hype and that the first run printing was probably no more than 350,000 copies.

The longtime publishing maven explained there would be no need for Simon & Schuster to print a million books. If they needed more, "you push the button on the press and you can crank out another 50,000 in a 24-hour cycle and ship them out."

In fact, sources in the field are reporting disappointing sales for Mrs. Clinton's book, Goldberg contended. "I can tell you a store that gets a call from the New York Times best seller list, and they're looking over there at 50 copies that haven't been bought."

She agreed with the characterization of Mrs. Clinton's book as "a loss leader" and predicted, "If this book doesn't take off over the weekend [Simon & Schuster] is going to be eating a lot of these copies."

Editor's Note: Frustrated by the media puffery of Hillary's new book? -- you can fight back and expose Hillary: Click Here Now

Read more on this subject in related Hot Topics:

Sen. Hillary Clinton

[SevenofNine]

Rackkk Lucannie Goldberg YES I do go on her site one of few freepers around here

Kattracks hey if you think Hill Beast won't be amused wait till Harry Potter book come out I rather read Wizard boy than Witch of District

[runningbear]

I guess Barbra Streisd... didn't buy enough? Too bad. I wouldn't read a thing of those rascal lairs Clintons, et el... ;o)

[Newbomb Turk]

Just like everything else involving a Clinton we will never get the truth on this story.

[rs79bm]

Goldberg told syndicated radio hosts John Batchelor and Paul Alexander, "I'm told you can't get those figures in one day."

Ah ha! I was thinking the same thing. It would be nearly impossible.

[OldFriend]

Also read that there is no way on earth that one million books were printed......there wouldn't be any place to store that number of books.

[PoisedWoman]

Very interesting. Lucianne is a true publishing insider and no doubt knows what she's talking about.

The $8 million advance was Viacom's campaign contribution to Hitlery, stll, they'd like to earn back at least some of it. Didn't we figure out at one point that Viacom's Simon & Schuster would have to sell a million hardcover copies to break even? Maybe 1.5 million copies?

I wonder what Hitlery's contract looks like. Was it $8 million against actual sales? Or a nonrefundable $8 million? Is anyone on speaking terms with Lucianne? She'd know.

[Slyfox]

"If this book doesn't take off over the weekend [Simon & Schuster]
is going to be eating a lot of these copies."

[Slyfox]

'campaign contribution'

Yep, that is the key phrase.

[2 Kool 2 Be 4-Gotten]

Totally anecdotal - I was at Costco today looking at the books - there was pile of Hitlery's books and I would say they were 1/4 depleted - not selling like hotcakes but selling a little better than other comparable books. I came away convinced that people were in fact buying some, but not buying them out, be interested in what other freepers have seen in various retail outlets.

[ladyinred]

Campaign Hillary! the sequel has rolled into town filled with lies, lies, and more lies!

[JCG]

Gonna buy five copies for my mother...

Oh, wait, that was the Rollin' Stone.

America's Fifth Column ... watch PBS documentary JIHAD! In America
http://video.ire.org/10650.ram (Requires RealPlayer)

Who is Steve Emerson?

[AIRFORCE76]

I wonder what the Vegas odds are on Hildebeast running in '04? They'll take a bit on anything. Interesting to note that Dick Morris has contradicted her already and that Sid(vicious) Blumenthal's weighty tome also contradicts Queen Hillary on several important points.

[NJJ]

They keep saying it's the best selling non-fiction book for first day sales. Shouldn't it be compared against "fiction" books.

[TC Rider]

Totally anecdotal - I was at Costco today looking at the books - there was pile of Hitlery's books and I would say they were 1/4 depleted - not selling like hotcakes but selling a little better than other comparable books.

Stopped at BJ's Wholesale Club this evening. The stack of "Living Hysterias" was towering over the other selections. Of the 15 or so people picking through books, no one had Hill's.

Now marked down to $15.88

[upchuck]

"I'm told you can't get those figures in one day."

Let's think about this a minute.

From the posts here on FR in the last week, "Lying Histronics" is being sold at Wal*Mart, Borders, Sam's Club, Books A Million, etc. How many stores do you reckon this represents? (I read^ recently that Wal*Mart has 2700 stores in the US.) So let's assume the book of lies is being sold at 3500 stores total. The logistics of 3500 stores contacting S&S and reporting sales is hard to believe.

I suspect they may have had some significant percentage of stores report sales and then extrapolate from there.

Still, there's no way 200K books were sold in one day. I'd have to see some numbers supplied by a bonded auditing company before I'd believe it.

[NJJ]

I wonder what the Vegas odds are on Hildebeast running in '04?

That depends on whether the Democratic nominee decides to fly the month before the election. I'm sure she would accept the party's request to step in, after the tragic accident.

[AIRFORCE76]

Senior Moment! I hate it when that happens. I once read somewhere that for the Billary's to be right about all of the allegations against them being concocted over two hundred people, from all over the country, many of whom had never met, would have to be liars. Which is more likely, that a couple of political opportunists would be pathological liars, or that over two hundred people would get together to destroy the careers of two hard-working attorneys. Wait, did I actually say that?

[Missouri]

be interested in what other freepers have seen in various retail outlets.

I heard Michael Savage say that its not selling in the corn belt but selling OK in the porn belt.

[2 Kool 2 Be 4-Gotten]

I actually saw one person pick up her heinous' book and then put it back. Didn't see anyone pick it up and put it in the cart. But obviously someone had, as the pile was somewhat smaller than the others right next to it.