Mountains from Molehills

In its second week on the national charts, Pulitzer Prize–winning Washington Post reporter David A. Vise's exposé of double agent Robert Philip Hanssen continues to sell very well at both chains and independents. The Bureau and the Mole: The Unmasking of Robert Philip Hanssen, the Most Dangerous Double Agent in FBI History has, according to Atlantic Monthly Press, gone back to press 11 times, bringing the total to 185,000 copies; first printing was 22,000. The book went on sale right before Christmas and kicked off with national media appearances prior to pub date. A two-part feature on NPR's Morning Edition, followed by a Fresh Air interview and a Washington Post news story, got the buzz going. In February, Vise was featured on cable news programs and is now finishing up a successful nine-city tour. The book also got a strong boost from interviews on Imus in the Morning (first on February 8 and again on February 20) and excellent reviews have also been a boon. With more media appearances scheduled for March, AMP expects sales momentum to continue. The book's genesis was a movie proposal that literary agent Rafe Sagalyn sold to producer Jerry Bruckheimer (whose most recent credit is Black Hawk Down). AMP handily stepped up to the plate to supply the fast publishing turnaround.

With reporting by Dick Donahue