PrintIt's official: The New York Times can't count
What's the number one non-fiction selling book in America? According to the New York Times, it's a book that sold 8,000 fewer copies than Dinesh D'Souza's "America."
The New York Times magazine recently ran an article titled, "Why do Americans Stink at Math"? Perhaps the authors should have asked the people who make up the Times best seller list.
It brags on Page One every day that it dishes up “All the News That's Fit to Print,” but the New York Times is still refusing to tell the truth about conservative Dinesh D'Souza's best-seller, America.
The book, also a movie, is the top selling non-fiction book in the country with sales for the week ending July 19th of 25,714. The book was pulled from Costco but restocked after a public uproar.
That is an edge of nearly 8,000 books over runner-up Unbroken, the 2010 book about World War II hero Louis Zamperini written by Lauren Hillenbrand. The book is being made into a movie to debut on Christmas and has received a wave of press because the director is actress Angelina Jolie.
But in the upcoming August 3 Sunday Times list that will publish those July 13-19 sales numbers for “Print Hardcover Nonfiction” and print and ebook combined nonfiction, America is second behind Unbroken, according to publishing sources.
For D'Souza, it's a repeat slap by the Gray Lady. Secrets reported last month that the Times didn't even put it on their list of top 25 best sellers when sales charted by Nielsen showed it was the 13th best seller in the nation.
At the time, the Times said, “We let the rankings speak for themselves and are confident they are accurate.”
Accurately crediting America with the No. 1 would also be a coup for Regnery Publishing. It’s Blood Feud ranks third in the nation — and on the New York Times list.
It must be really galling for the Times editors to have to acknowledge the success of a book they would rather burn than promote.
As for the math, it's really complicated, says the Times. Or not.
It is based on weekly sales reports obtained from selected samples of independent and chain bookstores and wholesalers throughout the United States. The sales figures are widely believed to represent books that have actually been sold at retail, rather than wholesale, as the Times surveys booksellers in an attempt to better reflect what is purchased by individual buyers. Some books are flagged with a dagger indicating that a significant number of bulk orders had been received by retail bookstores.
"Selected samples"? How much do you want to bet that they have more retail sales samples from New Jersey than Texas? It's ridiculously easy for the Times editors to game the system - even if they're only counting books that have actually been sold.
How about books like Hillary's that no one reads but that the smart set leaves on the coffee table to impress their friends?
It really doesn't matter. D'Souza gets his royalties regardless of where the Times ranks "America." But an acknowledgment - no matter how grudging - that people hunger for conservative literature by giving the book its rightful place at #1 would be appreciated.
