Posted on 08/28/2004 7:54:04 AM PDT by nwrep
See earlier thread: FR Exclusive: Howard Dean donor writes novel on how to assassinate Bush
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NEW YORK - Yes, there are limits to what George Bush (news - web sites) haters will read. "Checkpoint," the controversial Nicholson Baker novel about a man who wants to kill the president, has sold fewer than 6,500 copies since coming out two weeks ago, the book's publisher said Friday.
"Not every book you publish becomes a best seller," said Paul Bogaards, executive director of publicity for Alfred A. Knopf. Bogaards said sales for the book, which had a first printing of 60,000, had only reached the low 6000s, far behind the pace of such anti-Bush best sellers as Paul Krugman's "The Great Unraveling" and Richard Clarke's "Against All Enemies."
"Checkpoint," by the author of the best-selling "Vox," imagines a conversation between two old high school friends. One of them is so angry about the war in Iraq (news - web sites) that he talks of assassinating Bush. His friend tries to talk him out of it.
No one could say the book suffered from lack of attention. It was reviewed and debated both in newspapers and in online publications and was cited by conservatives as symbolic of anti-Bush hysteria. "How far does the Bush hatred have to go before every fair-minded American says, "Enough!"' Rush Limbaugh, the conservative radio host, said in June when the book was first announced. "At what point do you people on the left not get it?"
Controversy often sells, but Bogaards said some of the attention probably hurt the book, as he cited a wave of negative reviews. The New York Times called it "another discouraging document of this age of wild talk," while a critic for the San Jose Mercury News confided to falling asleep twice while reading it. Bogaards also acknowledged that Baker may have hurt his own book by giving only a handful of interviews.
"More is always helpful," Bogaards said. "You need to take your case to the American public and let the people decide."
As of Friday, the novel ranked just 1,250 on Amazon.com, and only nine reader reviews had been posted, indicating that readers were far less interested in the book than the media was. Politics & Prose, an independent bookstore based in Washington, D.C., said Friday it had sold just four copies of "Checkpoint."
"He's been a popular author for us in the past, and we ordered heavily for this book, but the reviews have been and it hasn't done very well," said Barbara Meade, a co-owner of the store.
PING
Well what do they expect...everyone is reading Unfit For Command. : )
> Controversy often sells ...
So much for "there's no such thing as bad publicity".
Come to think of it, JfK's campaign doesn't seem to be
selling very well either.
LOL...I bet they've been praying for someone on Bush's team to call for this book to be banned so sales would pick up. As it is they're the ones getting burned (unless Micheal Moore decides to pick up the movie rights).
It's time the Celebrity Left came to realize that they are not necessary. Let's see one of these hollywood left types pumping gas for a living. That would be amusing.
Burn Hollywood Burn!
But is prominently displayed in Barnes & Noble < /only partially sarcastic>
My local library system owns two copies. I imagine library sales make up the bulk of the copies sold. Librarians love anti-Bush, anti-Republican garbage.
Has anyone here read "Assassin", the book Glenn Beck's been pushing? Can you recommend it?
Smiling.
Thanks for the ping.
Major media did articles on it and author profiles. It was presented as if the author is a genius and that the book would be a controversial sensation.
Headlines: Assassin book biggest flop ever, bought by Hollywood mogul for major movie!
Makes for ok camp toilet paper and is great for starting campfires.
Rush Limbaugh quoted in an AP story without a putdown? What is the world coming to?
Looks like the MSM has some decency and shame after all. Oh wait, Vietnam Veterans who criticize Kerry are all "liars" even though no explanation is given....never mind.
Bwa ha ha. It's good to know that no one reads that rag for book advice.
It wasn't just Rush. Bill Sammon was outraged by the talk of "assassination" .. he openly said on TV that the dems had "stepped over the line of political discourse".
What's interesting is that after Bill came out against all the talk so strongly .. it died down quite a bit.
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