Strong early holiday book sales have made for cautious optimism among booksellers nationwide, as a wide variety of titles begins ringing the cash registers. The events of September 11 have changed the composition of our weekly charts. Currently, pictorial commemoratives are moving up the lists, while books about terrorism and, more specifically, Osama bin Laden are moving down. This week our hardcover list has three books on the attackOne Nation: America Remembers September 11, 2001, New York September 11 and September 11, 2001: A Record of Tragedy, Heroism and Hope all featuring moving images with eloquent commentary. Martin Arnold, in his "Making Books" column in the New York Times on December 6, asks: "Are these collections to be wrapped in brightly colored paper and put under the tree?" He interviews booksellers around the country and synthesizes their comments thus: "Understanding, therapeutic, commemorative. All are used to explain the apparently surprising popularity of these books." Many more books on the subject, including scores of new and backlist titles on grieving, coping, recovery and patriotism, are in the stores or on their way (see our feature next week for an annotated listing). While only a handful will become bestsellers, many will have increased sales as a result of September 11.
Little, Brown's One Nation by Life magazine editors includes an introduction by Mayor Rudolph Giuliani and has 375,000 copies in print after four trips to press. It's been boosted by a USA Today feature, airtime on Hardball with Chris Matthews and a segment on Extra. Also on the charts for a second week is New York September 11 by Magnum photographers, with an introduction by David Halberstam. Publisher powerHouse Books is a cooperative of about 60 photographers; this title's first printing of 100,000 was sold out in 10 days and a second printing of 50,000 has been ordered. Filled with photographs compiled by the editors of New York magazine, September 11, 2001 from Abrams has a 75,000-copy first printing. Book coverage has included Larry King, Fox News, Entertainment Tonight and other major media.
With reporting by Dick Donahue.
