Book Sales

No Page-Turner Here: If Book Sales Were Votes, McCain Would Be in A Serious Bind

Submitted by Melissa Merz on 10/9/08

The chapter on U.S. Sen. Barack Obama's election as 44 would already be written if book sales counted as votes.

There's no advance copy of just how this election will end, but one thing is for sure: Obama has won the popular read, with McCain in danger of being shelved.

Despite polls showing Obama pulling away, we may not be able to put this one down until November 5.

According to a new book report from Nielsen:

So far in 2008, four books published by Sen. Barack Obama between 2004 and fall 2008 have sold a combined 912,000 copies, according to Nielsen BookScan.

In comparison, Sen. John McCain’s five titles, published between 1999 and summer 2008, have sold a total of 116,000 copies — almost 800,000 copies less than Obama.

Between January and September 21, 2008, McCain’s top selling book, "Faith of My Fathers," sold 73,000 copies in hardcover, paperback, and audio editions.

Obama’s top book, "The Audacity of Hope," out-sold McCain’s title by 639% during the same period, according to Nielsen, with sales of 540,000 copies in hardcover, paperback, audio, and Spanish language editions.