If you’re looking for evidence that there’s now than one way to sell a book, look no further than today’s piece in the New York Times on Vincent Bugliosi’s book “The Prosecution of George W. Bush for Murder.” As of yesterday, this book was No. 14 on the Times’s bestseller list. It has now sold 130,000 copies. You’re wondering why you’ve never heard of it? That probably means that you’re primarily a consumer of mainstream media. This book has had not a single review – or up until today – even a mention among major US newspapers, magazines, or TV. ABC refused to run an ad for it and “The Daily Show” (among others) declined to book Bugliosi as a guest.
So how did it hit the bestseller list? This is a story about the power of the Internet, where the book’s promoters have done most of their advertising (along with over 100 radio interviews done by Bugliosi).
Now that the book is on the bestseller list, it’s become a story and – however mainstream readers perceive its merits – it will only grow from here.
1. Tom Parker | 07.08.08
The publishers had nothing to do with the books sucesss, nor the internet! Both have been pathetic. It is Bugliosi’s reputation and the radio shows he went on pure and simple. You missed the story too!!!! It is not the internet, it is freedom of speech which the media has suppressed when it came to Bugliosi’s book, The Prosecution of George W. Bush for Murder. Bugliosi is huge - word by mouth is all!