It's on my account too if it goes away. RT @SheilaKihne: @JenDeJournett Screen shot that baby, let's figure out their sponsors
I had a look at the big political sellers at Amazon this year. I used their Customer’s Top 100 list (read: sales based). I was not surprised to see that of the political books, conservative titles dominated. Now I’ve heard the argument that political book sales are simply a reaction againsr the party in power. It’s a fair premise that makes sense, but I think it‘s too simple.
For one thing, I believe that political book sales should not be divided by political people and parties. It is not the Democrat or Republican title that is important, it is the ideology and actions behind them. The prism I divide political books by is conservative vs. Liberal, not Republican vs. Democrat. For instance a book titled, The Jowls of My Life by Arlen Specter would go on my liberal pile whether it was written before 2008 or after.
On the Amazon Customers’ 2009 list (Important distinction here, the Amazon Editor’s pick is as pointless as anyone’s top picks list—the almighty SALES LIST should be the standard) have a look at the top 30 with the non political titles omitted.
2. Liberty and Tyranny: A Conservative Manifesto—Mark R. Levin
3. Glenn Beck's Common Sense: The Case Against an Out-of-Control Government, Inspired by Thomas Paine—Glenn Beck
11. True Compass: A Memoir—Edward M. Kennedy
15. Going Rogue: An American Life—Sarah Palin
16. Arguing with Idiots: How to Stop Small Minds and Big Government—Glenn Beck
17. Culture of Corruption: Obama and His Team of Tax Cheats, Crooks, and Cronies—Michelle Malkin
28. Catastrophe—DIck Morris and Eileen McGann
To my point, look at the titles. These were not about Republicans or campaigns, with the exception of Palin’s which covered some of that, all of the conservative books on this list were about conservatism first—getting back to basics of smaller government and individual empowerment. Levin’s is a book about conservatism vs. big government or as he terms it statism, Beck‘s Common sense, very much the same with his common theme of longing for the founding father’s and their principles. Palin’s is a personal story but at the center of it is a very populist grassroots message based in independence rather than reliance on parties and systems. Arguing with Idiots, is a broad based book focused largely on deceptions, frauds and misconceptions propagated largely by the left. Malkin, also about deception, but also corruption—this one specifically targeted at Obama and his big Chicago machine associates and beyond. Catastrophe, the semiannual release from Dick Morris and wife is again about the overpowering government out of control and the likely consequences if the course is not reversed. Only one liberal book rated in the top 30—The Ted Kennedy memoir. Among the others, every one is a strongly conservative based. Also worth noting, Kennedy and Beck's Arguing entered the game late in the year, and Palin's very late indeed in late November. Final score 6 to 1.
So how about 2008? If the premise of ‘Democrat in = Republican book sales up/Republican in = Democrat book sales up’ is reality then, 2008 should have seen a wave of anti-Bush/anti-conservative/pro-liberal book sales, right? 2008 was a loaded political year to be sure marked by disgruntled conservatives, and liberals who could taste power at an all new level for the second election cycle in a row. So what was the reality in sales?
9. The Revolution: A Manifesto—Ron Paul
13. What Happened: Inside the Bush White House and Washington's Culture of Deception—Scott McClellan
15. Liberal Fascism: The Secret History of the American Left, From Mussolini to the Politics of Meaning—Jonah Goldberg
16. Hot, Flat, and Crowded: Why We Need a Green Revolution--and How It Can Renew America—Thomas L. Friedman
28. The Obama Nation: Leftist Politics and the Cult of Personality—Jerome R. Corsi
31. Fleeced: How Barack Obama, Media Mockery of Terrorist Threats, Liberals Who Want to Kill Talk Radio, the Do-Nothing Congress, Companies That Help Iran, and Washington Lobbyists for Foreign Governments Are Scamming Us ... and What to Do About It—Dick Morris (OK, so it didn’t quite make the top 30, but I had to keep it in for the title alone)
If anything I would say conservatives in a tough year still dominated the book sales. Paul, Goldberg, Corsi and Morris were all red meat, anti-left, pro free market principle books, Goldberg’s by far the best of the lot. And what of the 2 big liberal books—pretty thin stuff here—one a kiss and tell, take the money and run book by milquetoast press secretary from the middle Bush years, and Tom Friedman which I almost didn’t put on the list because of the topic being borderline political, but with it’s very premise soaked in leftist tropes it stays. Final score, 4-2.
I’ve tried to look back to their Top 100 lists of ‘07 ‘06... but can not find lists from earlier years. Let me know if you find them. I'd conclude that we either have a more conservative populus, or that those who care to read books about politics are of a conservative leaning. We’ll see what this year holds, but I’d say the good guys will continue to win the sales game.
