The Bestseller book that never was

[fjtorres]

Some true stories are better than fiction:

http://www.jmarkpowell.com/the-bests...f-the-century/

And it turns out the NYT Bestseller list has always been more fiction than fact.

Who:

This is the story of how a talk radio pioneer (and his devoted fans) concocted a wildly preposterous hoax – and succeeded beyond their wildest dreams.

To fully appreciate this tale, you must first understand Jean Shepherd, the satirical genius who was a masterful storyteller, helped create the talk radio format, and was a gifted writer who gave the world A Christmas Story, which eventually became a movie in 1983 (narrated by Shepherd himself) and grew into an annual holiday tradition.

How:

Shep may have been working in Manhattan, but having been born and raised in Hammond, Indiana (where A Christmas Story is set, by the way) he still had Midwestern sensibilities. One thing that astonished him about New Yorkers was (and still remains) their slavish obsession with Top 10 lists. “The 10 Most Beautiful People…” “The 10 New Looks for Summer…” “The 10 Hottest Movies…” Shep felt New Yorkers blindly followed whatever appeared on those lists without thinking or questioning them. The one that got his goat most of all was The New York Times Best Seller list for books.

The Times has been printing this highly influential list since 1931. But here’s the thing: in Shep’s time, despite its name, the criteria for making the list involved more than just book sales. It included customer requests for and questions about books to book sellers. So if a retailer had a stack of a particular book that wasn’t selling, he could gin up enough queries about it to get the title included on the best seller list, which then made people go out and buy it.

Shep saw through this hypocrisy and ranted about it at length one night. In a burst of inspiration, he speculated that if enough people requested the same title of a book that didn’t actually exist, it could indeed make the coveted New York Times Best Seller List.The Night People went crazy over the idea; WOR was flooded with calls from listeners pledging their support.

And sure enough, it happened: by early summer 1956, the book that didn’t exist made The New York Times Best Seller List … and kept inching upward on it. One literary gossip columnist even wrote in a leading newspaper, “Had a delightful lunch the other day with Frederick R. Ewing and his charming wife, Marjorie.”

And the whole time this was going on, Shep and his Night People listeners were laughing themselves silly. There was never any secret to it; it was a hoax openly discussed and pulled off right on the public airwaves. One day that summer, Shep was having lunch with his friend, real-life science fiction novelist Theodore Sturgeon, and the publisher of Ballantine Books. Sturgeon casually asked, “Would you like to meet the author of I, Libertine?” The publisher excitedly looked around the room. “Would I? Every publishing house in New York would like to buy that title. Where is he?” Sturgeon pointed to Shep and said, “Right here.” They explained the gag and had a good laugh, then decided to actually produce a real book. So working from the plot outline Shep had given his listeners, Sturgeon cranked out a real story. It hit store shelves in September 1956, and guess what? You got it – I, Libertine made the Times Best Seller list (again).

The cover artwork has a hilariously lurid painting featuring the ridiculous teaser line: “Gadzooks,’ quoth I, ‘but here’s a saucy bawd!'” A hint about the story’s true origin is hidden within it: an inn sign in the background features a shepherd’s staff. There’s even a black and white photo on the back cover of a forlorn looking Shep identified as Ewing. (In a totally classy move, Shep donated all profits from the real book to charity. His intention had never been to con people out of money; it was to expose human gullibility and to demonstrate how easily people can be manipulated by their blind desire to be part of the “in” crowd.)

Much more at the source
A very amusing story worthy of its own movie.

[Cinisajoy]

That is just too good.

[Cinisajoy]

Excellent find.

[Angst]

Loving it.

One Night Person who was a college student (Shep wouldn’t name the school, but strongly hinted it was Rutgers) submitted a lengthy term paper for an English Lit class on “F.R. Ewing: Eclectic Historian.” He even included extensive footnotes quoting from Ewing’s previous novels. The professor wrote “Superb research!” on the cover page and gave it a B+. The student later told Shep: “My whole education is probably phony.”

In perhaps the hoax’s crowning achievement, a church congregation in Massachusetts condemned I, Libertine, enabling proponents to claim with semi-accuracy that the book had been “banned in Boston.” Nothing, after all, drives sales faster than censorship.

[fjtorres]

It turns out there are several online sites hosting recordings where Shepherd tells the story himself.
Here is one:

http://blog.wfmu.org/freeform/2008/0...libertine.html

[SteveEisenberg]

fjtorres -- as far as this being on the NY Times bestseller list -- I'm afraid you have been at least partly hoaxed yourself.

The August 1, 1956 Wall Street Journal article says nothing about being on the bestseller list before publication:

http://web.archive.org/web/200204270...-56/8-1-56.jpg

Neither does the New York Times article on the original hoax (Book Review page 5, August 5, 1956).

Nor does the New York Times review of the published book (Book Review page page 21, September 16, 1956).

Via my public library's web site, I checked the ProQuest indexing of the New York Times for 1956 through 1958. I, Libertine did not make the bestseller list, neither the hoax book nor the real one.

But I did love Jean Shepherd on the radio.

[crich70]

And the legend grows again.

[pendragginp]

The last capper is priceless! And worthy of Sheperd himself!

[fjtorres]

Oh, it happened.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/I,_Libertine

Here's the WSJ story:
http://web.archive.org/web/200204270...-56/8-1-56.jpg

People have been resenting and tweaking the NY media establishment for nearly a century now. Maybe longer.

For cause. Remember how the NYT changed their magic formula for "bestsellerdom" to exile Harry Potter from its perpetual top spot? Well, they're at it again:

For the last few days, the single best-selling PRINT book in the U.S. — #1 on Amazon.com, #2 on BarnesAndNoble.com — has been a SELF-PUBLISHED children’s book, a CreateSpace-printed paperback.

http://www.amazon.com/Rabbit-Who-Wan.../dp/149617951X

In totally unrelated news, today the New York Times announced the following surprise change to how they compile their NYT Best Seller Lists:

http://lunch.publishersmarketplace.c...ardcover-only/

Yeah. You can’t make this stuff up.

The NYT “Best Seller” Lists are pretty much a work of fiction, serialized weekly.

http://www.thepassivevoice.com/08/20...comment-320273

From the publishers lunch piece we this nicely Orwellian explaination:

The paper says the goal is to “better reflect the exciting range of novels for children and teenagers that are newly published.” Separate paperback and ebook bestseller lists for both middle grade and YA books will appear online only, rather than books from across all platforms.

As a result, in the first set of new lists, John Green’s three titles drop off the YA list and the only constant from this week to next is Rainbow Rowell’s Eleanor & Park, which goes from No. 9 to No. 1. The turnover is just as big on the Middle Grade list; only R.J. Palicio’s Wonder stays on from this week to the next, moving from No. 2 to No. 1.

It is also tops in the UK.

http://www.theguardian.com/books/201...g-bedtime-read

And as of today, it is also #1 at B&N.com.
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-...=9781496179517
(At least until they get the memo.)

Shepherd himself said it best:

“Did it ever occur to you that lists are compiled by mortals? When the Oscar is awarded for Best Picture was it really the Best Picture? Well, everyone is influenced by these critics. You may laugh at the people who read the Daily News, but then YOU believe in the New York Times! Did ever occur to you that the guy responsible for compiling these lists was some little guy who was stuck for four years doing obituaries? Now, it’s his job is to call bookstores and find out what’s selling this week. Well, Fred Applerot recently bought 500 copies of “Who Shot John,” and he still has 497 copies on the shelf. The guy calls and asks what’s hot? ‘WHO SHOT JOHN”! BIG HIT! Well, the little guy puts it on his list and soon everyone goes out and buys it!” — Jean Shepherd

So basically, the hoaxes continue unabated only now the hoaxer is the NYT, hiding the real top sellers in favor of the pricier slow-selling hardcovers.

[Angst]

Originally Posted by SteveEisenberg

fjtorres -- as far as this being on the NY Times bestseller list -- I'm afraid you have been at least partly hoaxed yourself.

The August 1, 1956 Wall Street Journal article says nothing about being on the bestseller list before publication:

http://web.archive.org/web/200204270...-56/8-1-56.jpg

Neither does the New York Times article on the original hoax (Book Review page 5, August 5, 1956).

Nor does the New York Times review of the published book (Book Review page page 21, September 16, 1956).

Via my public library's web site, I checked the ProQuest indexing of the New York Times for 1956 through 1958. I, Libertine did not make the bestseller list, neither the hoax book nor the real one.

But I did love Jean Shepherd on the radio.

Nice catch. A primer of how Urban Legends are created by starting with a kernel of truth.

NYTimes bestseller lists for 1956

No sign of I, Libertine anywhere.

Still, the article was an enjoyable read even if some of the facts were "massaged". Like all good fish stories.

[fjtorres]

It's not a legend.
You can buy the book even today.

In a credibility contest between a legendary hoaxer and the NYT, the hoaxer wins hands down. He at least admits to lying and why.

And he has a better track record of honesty.

[crich70]

I meant the idea of the bestseller that didn't exist. First it got top spot before it even existed and now people say it was a bestseller in the NYT when it apparently never even appeared there. lol.

[bandorchod]

Originally Posted by pendragginp

The last capper is priceless! And worthy of Sheperd himself!

Agree 100%