New York – It isn’t just politicians who want to read “The Iraq Study Group Report.” Within hours of the report’s release in book form Wednesday, it had jumped into the top 25 on Amazon.com.
Anne Messitte of Vintage Books said the study was already in a second printing, although she declined to give exact numbers.
“We are continuing to receive orders all the time and will work to keep up with demand,” said Messitte, executive vice president and publisher of Vintage, a paperback imprint of Random House Inc.
The Iraq book has a suggested retail price of $10.95, and Vintage announced Wednesday that a portion of the proceeds would be given to the National Military Family Association, a nonprofit organization that assists members of the military and their families.
Government documents are not usually big sellers, but two years ago W.W. Norton & Co.’s official version of “The 9/11 Commission Report” sold more than 1 million copies – even though the text could be downloaded free of charge – and received a National Book Award nomination.
Within hours of the 9/11 report’s release, it reached No. 2 on Amazon.com and then topped the best-seller list for days.
The Iraq book climbed to No. 18 early Thursday afternoon but by evening had fallen slightly, to No. 27.
“Our sales were huge for the 9/11 report, and while I expect the Iraq report will be pretty big, I don’t think it will be huge,” said Cathy Langer, the lead buyer for Denver’s Tattered Cover Book Store.
“Maybe it’s because we know a lot already about what’s in the report.”
