Republican Bestsellers

[erpowers]

It is surprising to me that when Ann Coulter talks about liberals buying their own books to make them bestsellers it is actually the Republicans who have actually done things like that. In her book "Slander", Coulter made the statement that one day someone would find boxes of Micheal Moore books hidden somewhere. I just learned that the book "The News Twisters", which was a bestseller during the Nixon years became a bestseller due to Nixon dirty tricks. Charles Colson told the story of how Nixon ordered him to put the book on the bestseller's list. Colson and some of his friends found out what stores the New York Times used for its bestseller's list and then went to those stores and bought out the copies of the book. The book then became a bestseller. When one of the Nixon staffer left the White House he also left beyond at least one box of the books.

[LostInAnomie]

1. Have you ever been to any conservative sites?

They sell those things for a penny each.

No joke.

[blackcat77]

5. I get a catalogue from a discount books company

Like when bookstores send stuff back to the publishers, or something just doesn't sell as they had expected it to, and conservative books are always there in great quantities.

Of course, to be fair there are usually a number of radical liberal books there as well.

Maybe the most honest thing to say is that extremism doesn't sell whichever end of the spectrum it comes from. It might get a lot of publicity, but the bottom line just is not there.

[blondeatlast]

6. If it were that simple, it wouldn't be sinister enough for Coulter

to remark upon.

See my explanation of what's happening below.

[GoCubsGo05]

2. Ha! Funny story. Hadn't heard that before. n/t

[Jade Fox]

3. Yes, it is utterly bizarre the way these people acuse us....

of soing what they do.

Richard Mellon Scaife is the only reason Creep Coulter is on the best sellers
list.

[blondeatlast]

4. This is a very common tac among the RW press.

Regnery Press are the main parctitioners. They print up huge first runs; drive up pre-pub demand, then have their minions go to bookstores and buy them in bulk to offer free for subscribing to their e-mail, magazine, etc. and at speaking engagements.

Contrast that with "Stupid White Men," which was PULLED from publication until word got out to a librarian listserve. Us uppity librarian types raised such a ruckus that Regan Books bought the rights adn the galleys from HarperCollins and it ended up being a HUGE bestseller.

"SWM" is a bona-fide bestseller unlike most of the Regnery Press books.

If the RW echo-cult is accusing us of something, you can damn well bet they've already done it.

[Warpy]

7. Check for that serpentine symbol on the NYT best seller list

It denotes books that are best sellers through bulk buying. Coulter's screeds are always there with that symbol. They're also offered free to anyone who subscribes to newsletters from outfits like Newsmax.

I can see why Coulter would be offended by liberals who buy liberal authors' books to take home and read. After all, they have to give her books away, and it's doubtful even the most hardcore right wingers can manage to plod entirely through any of them.

Gee whiz, people buying books at bookstore prices and taking them home to read. I guess it's a whole new concept to the far right.