Printing Gets Post-Election Boost
-- Graphic Arts Online, 11/19/2008 8:39:00 AM
Print is getting another extra election boost as the sales of books penned or mentioned by President-Elect
Barack Obama are red hot. Obama is even being compared to Oprah in his ability to trigger massive book sales. Sarah Palin, too, may boost print, as agents are courting her to sign a book deal that could earn the former VP candidate anywhere from $5 million to $12 million. Five books either authored by or written about Obama are on the New York Times Best Seller List. A campaign photo book titled “Yes We Can: Barack Obama’s History-Making Presidental Campaign” sold out its 55,000-copy first edition before it was printed; a second printing of 25,000 copies has been ordered.
After Obama mentioned reading a new book about FDR’s first 100 days in office on “60 Minutes,” three such books went back to press; the President-Elect did not mention the title or author of the book.
Another Obama book club winner: Doris Kearns Goodwin's "Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln." The thousand-page book now is in the top 20 in sales both on Amazon and Barnes&Noble.com.
Obama’s two memoirs, "The Audacity of Hope" and "Dreams From My Father," also got a post- election boost.
Printed Obama calendars also are in high demand. Sourcebook’s Obama calendar shipped 100,000 units since its August release and is currently ranked as the #1 best-selling calendar on Amazon.com and at Barnes & Noble. Specialty Internet retailer Calendar Club recently ordered 50,000 units to sell on its site, calendars.com.
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