Three different books about Donald Trump’s presidency have sold a combined total of more than five million copies in just nine months.
‘Fire and Fury’ by Michael Wolff, ‘Fear’ by Bob Woodward, and ‘A Higher Loyalty’ by James Comey have each sold more than a million copies in the US.
These recent figures show a surprising shift in success for books about politicians, reflecting just how fascinated Americans are with the Trump presidency.
But while Trump is always quick to brag about his TV ratings, even he wouldn’t boast about the sales of these three books.
Trump actually took to Twitter to attack Wolff, Woodward, and Comey’s respective books – all of which gave a critical inside-look into his presidency.
Three different books about Donald Trump’s presidency – including Michael Wolff’s ‘Fire and Fury’ – have sold a combined total of more than five million copies in just nine months
‘A Higher Loyalty’ by James Comey, and ‘Fear’ by Bob Woodward, have also sold more than one million copies this year
Wolff’s ‘Fire and Fury’ gave an inside look into Trump’s first year as president, with wild claims ranging from Trump’s fear of being poisoned to a devastated Melania in tears on Election Night.
Trump was enraged by the book, calling it ‘phony’ and claiming he authorized ‘zero access to the White House’.
‘Full of lies, misrepresentations and sources that don’t exist,’ he tweeted in January, just days before it was released.
Trump launched a similar Twitter attack on Comey in April, a week before the release of his former FBI director’s book.
In ‘A Higher Loyalty’ Comey claimed that Trump was ‘untethered to the truth’ and even compared him to a mob boss.
The figures show a surprising shift in books about politicians, reflecting just how fascinated Americans are with the Trump presidency
‘James Comey is a proven LEAKER & LIAR,’ Trump tweeted in one of his enraged rants.
‘He is a weak and untruthful slimeball who was, as time has proven, a terrible Director of the FBI.’
And Trump’s tune didn’t change when legendary Deep Throat journalist Woodward released his own book.
Much like its predecessors, ‘Fear’ contained explosive claims from White House sources, including that John Kelly thought Trump was ‘unhinged’ and an ‘idiot’.
‘The Woodward book is a scam. I don’t talk the way I am quoted. If I did I would not have been elected President,’ Trump tweeted in September.
Trump actually took to Twitter to attack Wolff, Woodward, and Comey’s respective books – all of which gave a critical inside-look into his presidency
In April Trump launched a Twitter attack on Comey a week before the release of his former FBI director’s book
And Trump’s tune didn’t change when legendary Deep Throat journalist Woodward released his own book about the Trump presidency
‘These quotes were made up. The author uses every trick in the book to demean and belittle. I wish the people could see the real facts – and our country is doing GREAT!’
Trump may not be a fan of the books, but these political tomes have had unprecedented success not seen since Barack Obama’s memoirs sold a combined 4.6 million copies.
Books by Bill and Hillary Clinton, George W Bush, and Jimmy Carter have also topped the bestseller list, but those titles were only released after their authors’ respective presidencies or presidential campaigns.
In the past, books about a presidency were generally published only after it was over, leaving sources freer to talk and allowing greater historical perspective.
But, ‘as ever, Trump has sped everything up,’ Jon Meacham, the author of several best-selling political and historical books, told MSNBC.
Trump himself has, however unintentionally, helped promote these books – all of which paint an apocalyptic picture of his administration – by firing off those tweets
And Trump himself has, however unintentionally, helped promote these books – all of which paint an apocalyptic picture of his administration – by firing off those tweets.
‘I guess people want to see how bad it really is’, said Marianne Elliott, who is on a long waiting list at the New York public library to read ‘Fear’.
There’s no sign of these books slowing down. Three more books about Trump, including this book by Washington Post journalist Greg Miller, will be released Tuesday
Many opposition Democrats, though repelled by Trump, his politics, and his blustering personality, have also been eager to read anything they can find about him.
‘They want more bad information to make you feel better because you know he’s terrible,’ Elliott continued. ‘It’s comforting.’
Trump has sent off plenty of tweets about books that are favorable to him as well, which have performed with varying degrees of success.
Jeanine Pirro’s book ‘Liars, Leakers, and Liberals, the Case Against the Anti-Trump Conspiracy’ briefly held the top-seller spot on Amazon.
But Sean Spicer’s book ‘The Briefing: Politics, the Press and the President’ barely cracked the top 100.
‘In our very divided society, people are feeling motivated by their political passion in deciding what books to read and buy,’ said David Corn, co-author of ‘Russian Roulette’, a book about Russian interference in the American presidential campaign.
And Trump’s impact on the publishing world hasn’t stopped with the current best-sellers.
Books like ‘1984’ and ‘Fahrenheit 451’, portraying totalitarian regimes that manipulate people through disinformation and propaganda, have also enjoyed newfound popularity.
Trump’s impact on the publishing world hasn’t stopped with current best-sellers. Books like ‘1984’, portraying totalitarian regimes, have also enjoyed newfound popularity
Nor does the surging interest in political books seem close to peaking.
‘The Fifth Risk’ by Michael Lewis, ‘The Apprentice’ by Washington Post journalist Greg Miller, and the Stormy Daniels book ‘Full Disclosure,’ about the adult film star’s alleged sexual liaison with Trump, are all set to reach bookstores on Tuesday as well.
‘One potential problem is that people get too accustomed to the outrages of the Trump administration,’ Corn said, ‘And therefore become less interested in books like these.’
‘But I don’t see that happening any time soon.’