Posted on 11/11/2003 5:12:41 PM PST by Pharmboy
NEW YORK (Reuters) - Despite a media blitz, the biography of America's best-known soldier from the Iraq (news - web sites) war, Jessica Lynch, appeared unlikely on Tuesday to translate into big cash as the first day of sales fell short of expectations.
After days of magazine covers, TV movies, tabloid tales and television interviews, first-day sales of her authorized biography, "I Am a Soldier, Too: The Jessica Lynch Story," fell well short of other high-profile books like Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (news - web sites)'s memoir, which had buyers lining up around the block.
Not a copy had been sold by midday on Tuesday, Veterans Day, at a Barnes & Noble store on Chicago's North Side, said an employee who declined to be identified. The store would not disclose how many of the books sold.
"I've yet to have anyone ask about it," the employee said.
At a Manhattan Barnes & Noble, an employee described interest as "moderate. It certainly has not been exceptional." Another nearby store sold one copy by lunchtime.
On online bookseller Amazon.com, the book ranked 21st in sales, well short of top-selling novel "The Da Vinci Code" and the latest get-slim-quick fad, "The South Beach Diet."
A spokesman for the Lynch family could not be reached for comment, while her publicist at publisher Alfred A. Knopf did not return calls.
PRAYING TO GOD
Lynch, who joined the Army to get an education and become a teacher, was captured in Iraq in March and held for over a week there. When her story broke, some painted her as a "Rambo" who went down shooting -- an image Lynch herself debunked in the book, saying her rifle jammed and she went down on her knees praying to God.
Her story captured the hearts of many Americans. Author Rick Bragg, formerly a reporter at The New York Times, wrote in "I Am a Soldier, Too" that her public appeal was apparent from the start.
"She was a pretty, blond American soldier and would look good on television," he said.
Knopf offered Lynch and Bragg a $1 million advance. How the money was split was not made public and although Lynch will also earn all the book's royalties, sales would probably have to top 275,000 for her to see more money.
Knopf is a unit of Random House, which is owned by Bertelsmann AG (news - web sites) .
Lynch, who appeared at a Glamour magazine award ceremony on Monday using two crutches to walk as she continues her rehabilitation, has appeared in television interviews and on the cover of Time magazine to coincide with the release of the book. She was also the focus of the NBC TV movie "Saving Jessica Lynch," which aired on Sunday night.
Public relations expert Lou Colasuonno, who handles celebrity crisis management, gave Lynch high marks for trying to dispel myths about her capture and rescue.
"She stood up and said she thought she had been used, that her story had been manipulated," Colasuonno said, referring to charges the Pentagon (news - web sites) used the story of her rescue to bolster patriotic feelings during the war in Iraq.
Some soldiers who also risked their lives in Iraq seemed uncomfortable with Lynch being singled out for celebrity.
Pfc. Patrick Miller, awarded the Silver Star for saving the lives of Lynch and others in her capture, was asked by CBS' "60 Minutes" if he was bothered by her fame. "Mmm, somewhat," he said.
Gotta have that in there, huh, Reuters?
Confucius say author with fat thighs sells the most books.
How much more to the story can there be that we haven't already heard, read or scene?
How much more to the story can there be that we haven't already heard, read or seen?
So true, so true.
This is a shame to me. And it's just what I was afraid of.
I hate the media.
Well, the other guy who ran for Governor might provide us even better material.
Well, we heard everyone else's side of the story but Jessica's. I am going to buy the book just to hear what she has to say. At first I had decided not to buy it, due to her not being able to remember but Dianne Sawyer was on Bill O'Reilly just now and said that Jessica remembers everything except the time span after the auto accident and when she awoke in the hospital. Jessica does not remember being raped. O'Reilly stated that he did not disapprove of her making a million dollars from the sale of her book and Dianne Sawyer replied that Jessica and her parents could have made much more, but turned it down.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.