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Charles Moore winning race of Margaret Thatcher biographers Charles Moore winning race of Margaret Thatcher biographers
(5 months later)
Margaret Thatcher's two biographers may both have turned to the same eminently quotable remark from the late prime minister in naming their new books, but sales for Charles Moore's Authorized Biography, Volume One: Not for Turning have eclipsed Robin Harris's Not for Turning, it was revealed today.Margaret Thatcher's two biographers may both have turned to the same eminently quotable remark from the late prime minister in naming their new books, but sales for Charles Moore's Authorized Biography, Volume One: Not for Turning have eclipsed Robin Harris's Not for Turning, it was revealed today.
Official figures from book sales monitor Nielsen BookScan show that first week sales for journalist and official biographer Moore reached 5,325. Harris, Thatcher's speechwriter, reached a total of 1,569 for his own biography. Both books have received largely positive writeups; Harris "is like a long-faithful courtier freed by a monarch's death to speak the truth about them", wrote Andy Beckett in an early Guardian review, while Moore "has exploited [his] unique access with thoroughness and skill", even though "a sense of the British establishment granting favours to one of its own hangs over this book, and is never quite dispelled".Official figures from book sales monitor Nielsen BookScan show that first week sales for journalist and official biographer Moore reached 5,325. Harris, Thatcher's speechwriter, reached a total of 1,569 for his own biography. Both books have received largely positive writeups; Harris "is like a long-faithful courtier freed by a monarch's death to speak the truth about them", wrote Andy Beckett in an early Guardian review, while Moore "has exploited [his] unique access with thoroughness and skill", even though "a sense of the British establishment granting favours to one of its own hangs over this book, and is never quite dispelled".
"We've certainly found that Charles Moore's authorised biography is the one most customers are asking for," said Jonathan Ruppin at independent bookseller Foyles. "The extent of the media coverage has probably sated many readers for now, but we expect books about her to continue to sell well for the rest of the year and Moore's book may well develop into one of the big Christmas sellers.""We've certainly found that Charles Moore's authorised biography is the one most customers are asking for," said Jonathan Ruppin at independent bookseller Foyles. "The extent of the media coverage has probably sated many readers for now, but we expect books about her to continue to sell well for the rest of the year and Moore's book may well develop into one of the big Christmas sellers."
Neither title reached anything like the sales levels for politicians writing in their own words about their lives, however: Tony Blair's autobiography A Journey sold 92,000 copies in its first week on sale, and Alastair Campbell's The Blair Years hit 23,000, said BookScan. Jon Howells at Waterstones said that interest in Thatcher's own two volumes of autobiography soared in the wake of her death, with sales up 300% in the afternoon of the day she died, reaching an increase of around 800% by the end of that week.Neither title reached anything like the sales levels for politicians writing in their own words about their lives, however: Tony Blair's autobiography A Journey sold 92,000 copies in its first week on sale, and Alastair Campbell's The Blair Years hit 23,000, said BookScan. Jon Howells at Waterstones said that interest in Thatcher's own two volumes of autobiography soared in the wake of her death, with sales up 300% in the afternoon of the day she died, reaching an increase of around 800% by the end of that week.
"Other than Julian Barnes' recent book, Charles Moore's authorised life is our biggest biography order of the year so far, and we are very pleased with sales," said Waterstones non-fiction buyer Richard Humphreys. "This is seen as the definitive Thatcher biography to date, and his ubiquitous presence in the media over the last two weeks has obviously helped make this the must-have book for anyone wishing to read about Thatcher, whatever their politics. It's clearly a book that will sell for years.""Other than Julian Barnes' recent book, Charles Moore's authorised life is our biggest biography order of the year so far, and we are very pleased with sales," said Waterstones non-fiction buyer Richard Humphreys. "This is seen as the definitive Thatcher biography to date, and his ubiquitous presence in the media over the last two weeks has obviously helped make this the must-have book for anyone wishing to read about Thatcher, whatever their politics. It's clearly a book that will sell for years."
But despite readers' interest in Thatcher's life, Moore's biography was beaten to the top of the non-fiction hardback chart by Paul Hollywood's Bread, which sold 9,740 copies, while Harris's came in behind TOWIE star Kirk Norcross's Essex Boy: My Story, at 1,686 copies, said BookScan.But despite readers' interest in Thatcher's life, Moore's biography was beaten to the top of the non-fiction hardback chart by Paul Hollywood's Bread, which sold 9,740 copies, while Harris's came in behind TOWIE star Kirk Norcross's Essex Boy: My Story, at 1,686 copies, said BookScan.
Top 10 political memoir and biography from Blair to ObamaTop 10 political memoir and biography from Blair to Obama
1. Dreams from My Father by Barack Obama (Canongate) 704,427
2. A Journey by Tony Blair (Hutchinson) 292,031
3. Churchill: A Biography by Roy Jenkins (Pan) 281,010
4. My Life by Bill Clinton (Hutchinson) 181,105
5. Things Can Only Get Better by John O'Farrell (Black Swan) 167,921
6. Diaries: In Power by Alan Clark (Phoenix) 137,867
7. Living History by Hillary Rodham Clinton (Headline) 132,122
8. The Blair Years by Alastair Campbell (Hutchinson) 121,855
9. Mao: The Unknown Story by Jung Chang and Jon Halliday (Jonathan Cape) 79,990
10. Autobiography by Betty Boothroyd (Century) 75, 919		1. Dreams from My Father by Barack Obama (Canongate) 704,427
2. A Journey by Tony Blair (Hutchinson) 292,031
3. Churchill: A Biography by Roy Jenkins (Pan) 281,010
4. My Life by Bill Clinton (Hutchinson) 181,105
5. Things Can Only Get Better by John O'Farrell (Black Swan) 167,921
6. Diaries: In Power by Alan Clark (Phoenix) 137,867
7. Living History by Hillary Rodham Clinton (Headline) 132,122
8. The Blair Years by Alastair Campbell (Hutchinson) 121,855
9. Mao: The Unknown Story by Jung Chang and Jon Halliday (Jonathan Cape) 79,990
10. Autobiography by Betty Boothroyd (Century) 75, 919
• Sales recorded since 1998; data from Nielsen• Sales recorded since 1998; data from Nielsen
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