Talking Heads

Fourth of July fireworks and barbecue grills may have cooled, but when it comes to political books (and their audio counterparts) this is still one hot summer. And, this being an election year, with the country gearing up for what is expected to be a tight contest in November, audio publishers are hoping that their titles will generate heat for months to come.

Political books are certainly nothing new. However, in the shadow of September 11 and the war in Iraq—along with the presidential election—the titles in this genre seem to have taken on a much bigger profile. (The recent passing of Ronald Reagan has also spurred some sales, to a smaller degree.) The most recent proliferation of political titles probably began a year ago when Hillary Clinton's memoir Living History (S&S Audio) was released with a major media fanfare and quickly became a bestseller. Soon to follow was a group of strong-selling titles that expressed the gamut of political viewpoints, which all did well on audio: Lies and the Lying Liars Who Tell Them by Al Franken (HighBridge Audio); Dude, Where's My Country? by Michael Moore (Time Warner AudioBooks); and three from Random House Audio: Bushwhacked by Molly Ivins and Lou Dubose, Treason by Ann Coulter and Who's Looking Out for You? by Bill O'Reilly.

In spring 2004, the books and audiobooks kept on coming, as did the media attention, pushing a new batch of revelatory and/or controversial works, including Against All Enemies by Richard A. Clarke and Plan of Attack by Bob Woodward (both S&S Audio), to the top of the heap.

And, now, as the run-up to Election Day begins in earnest, comes the abridged audiobook of former president Bill Clinton's My Life (Random House Audio). Released June 22 amid one of the biggest publicity campaigns ever (after Harry Potter's), the audio title sold 35,000 copies on its first day, instantly bumping it into bestsellerdom. Though Clinton can't run in November, publishers and booksellers are betting that My Life will get people thinking about who is in the race, and about buying books and audiobooks to inform them about the issues. (For more on the Clinton audiobook, including an interview with the producer and director, see the audio section of our site. "Political books had a great spring, though things are softening a bit," said Pam Promer, audio buyer for Borders Group Inc. "Books are still going to come through this summer and fall, but is the public going to get overwhelmed and want something different? I'm a little cautious, but in August we'll get a sense of whether the political debate is really picking up," Promer continued. "But it's going to be a good fall for audio no matter what. I think the Clinton title will hold on; we're incredibly excited about it and it's well supported. I hope it brings new listeners in. But will the other new books get any air? That's the unknown."

At Powell's Books in Portland, Ore., backlist inventory supervisor Gerry Donaghy believes political books will do well into the fall. "The big spring titles have chilled out a little bit because summer reading selections have gotten more attention these past weeks," he said. "But I think the political titles will still be drawing lots of attention as the election gets closer. We have an admittedly left-wing-leaning clientele, but we do get all the different books in—just not in big numbers."

Donaghy believes that other media will help get people into the bookstore as well. "There's been intense buzz about Fahrenheit 9/11. [Michael Moore] is a master of fanning political debate," Donaghy commented. "And we've had insane customer and media curiosity about the Clinton book."

Danny Gainsburg, co-owner of Politics & Prose in Washington, D.C., also believes that political books and audiobooks will hang on. "The public's appetite has been whetted," he said. "I haven't seen any indication that their appetite is satisfied yet." Of course, Gainsburg's store is in the heart of political country and will be hosting Bill Clinton for a signing on July 6. But despite those circumstances, Gainsburg noted, "There is such a high level of interest in this election in general, I think people will be buying books right up until it's over."