"Fear" sells more than 750,000 copies its first day

[issybird]

Fear by Bob Woodward is already in its ninth printing

“Bob Woodward’s Fear is selling with the force of a cultural phenomenon, in extraordinary numbers across the board, in hardcover, ebook, and audio editions,” said S&S president Jonathan Karp. “Based on immense pre-publication and ongoing interest, the reading public clearly has an enormous appetite for what we believe, as Woodward says, is ‘a pivot point in history’.”

I'm #36 on the waitlist for 125 copies at one of my OverDrive libraries, so I will be getting it within the next two weeks. Time to cancel my holds at my other libraries. (Especially the one where I'm #204 on one copy. Why does a library play those games? If I were cynical, I'd think they were waiting for their patrons to go with other alternatives before putting out for additional copies.)

[Catlady]

I preordered the hardcover from Amazon nearly two weeks ago, thinking I'd get in on publication day, but no--they've finally said I'll get it between 9/21 and 10/2.

I did get both the audiobook and e-book from the library on pub day--I lucked out and got on the wait list the day it showed up in Overdrive. The sad thing is that I have a tight work deadline and haven't been able to start reading yet. Maybe today, I hope.

P.S. NYPL is now up to 383 copies of the e-book and 100 copies of the audiobook. If I'm remembering correctly, that's about double what they had the other day. There are almost 2,000 holds for the e-book and 1,000 holds for the audiobook.

Of my libraries, NYPL seems to be the best at adding copies of popular books to reduce the waiting time.

[Flaneurette]

My library (Hennepin co in Minnesota) has 705 holds on 71 copies! yikes! I bet they will buy more- they are pretty good at keeping the hold time reasonable. They have 425 hold on 41 copies of the audiobook.

[jackie_w]

I'm interested to know whether books like this have any kind of sales longevity with the US reading public? Is it the case that if it doesn't sell in September/October it won't sell at all because the political story has moved on by then?

I'm speaking as someone who hardly ever reads UK political books at all, whether serious, sensationalist or otherwise.

[Dazrin]

Originally Posted by Flaneurette

My library (Hennepin co in Minnesota) has 705 holds on 71 copies! yikes! I bet they will buy more- they are pretty good at keeping the hold time reasonable. They have 425 hold on 41 copies of the audiobook.

Here are some numbers for the two Oregon libraries I have access to:
Multnomah County:
Ebook: 687 holds on 107 copies (~7/copy)
Audio: 523 holds on 85 copies (~7/copy)

Washington County:
Ebook: 283 holds on 70 copies (~5/copy)
Audio: 207 holds on 38 copies (~6/copy)

Not short waits but not unreasonable compared to some others.

[Catlady]

Brooklyn has 532 holds on 74 copies of the e-book, 306 holds on 31 copies of the audiobook.

Queens (NY) has 103 holds on 3 copies of the audiobook (e-book has 27 holds on 5 copies in Axis 360).

FLP has 518 holds on 1 copy of the e-book (no audiobook).

[misling]

Originally Posted by jackie_w

I'm interested to know whether books like this have any kind of sales longevity with the US reading public? Is it the case that if it doesn't sell in September/October it won't sell at all because the political story has moved on by then?

I'm speaking as someone who hardly ever reads UK political books at all, whether serious, sensationalist or otherwise.

In general you are correct, it's a very rare political "in the moment" book that isn't on the remainder table within 3-4 months.
This one may have a little more longevity because it's subject isn't going away that soon. But the public attention span is pretty short.

[issybird]

Originally Posted by Catlady

FLP has 518 holds on 1 copy of the e-book (no audiobook).

That's where I'm #204.

The library where I'm now #32 on 125 copies is Boston. I'm also #29 on 11 copies at a small regional library, which doesn't seem at all bad to me. It's also the only library I use that has the audiobook, with 72 holds on four copies. One of my libraries hasn't acquired it.

[Deskisamess]

I don't read books like this, but checked my public library for grins and giggles.

Ebook-38 copies, 893 holds

[Catlady]

Originally Posted by issybird

That's where I'm #204.

The library where I'm now #32 on 125 copies is Boston. I'm also #29 on 11 copies at a small regional library, which doesn't seem at all bad to me. It's also the only library I use that has the audiobook, with 72 holds on four copies. One of my libraries hasn't acquired it.

I don't know what it is with FLP in the past few months; the acquisition of audiobooks has slowed to a trickle, and the acquisition of e-books isn't much better. A 500+ waiting list is absurd.

[Catlady]

Originally Posted by misling

In general you are correct, it's a very rare political "in the moment" book that isn't on the remainder table within 3-4 months.
This one may have a little more longevity because it's subject isn't going away that soon. But the public attention span is pretty short.

Not only the subject, but the author is Bob Woodward, who's been a big name in American journalism for more than 40 years. The previous books about this administration have been more akin to tabloid journalism, not the kind of serious, painstaking work that Woodward is known for. I think this book will have legs.

[issybird]

Originally Posted by Catlady

I don't know what it is with FLP in the past few months; the acquisition of audiobooks has slowed to a trickle, and the acquisition of e-books isn't much better. A 500+ waiting list is absurd.

I suspect they're waiting to see what the demand is before they commit to more copies. But it does have the effect of discouraging patrons or forcing them to consider other options.

[DNSB]

Must be an American thing. Local library has 1 copy with 4 holds.

[GreyWolfsGhost]

Not just the US, here in Winterpeg there are 168 holds for 8 copies (ebook) and 68 for two audio.

[Ken Maltby]

It probably sells well in all large urban markets, not so well in the rest of the country.

Luck;
Ken