Over 1.4 million sales and a record within the publishing house: That is the preliminary result for the British nobleman’s book, from which explosive details came to light even before publication.
Record start for Prince Harry’s memoirs: More than 1.4 million copies of the English-language edition of the controversial autobiography “Spare” (German: “Reserve”) were sold on the day of publication. This was announced by the publisher Penguin Random House yesterday (local time) in New York.
No other non-fiction book by the publisher reached such a number on the first day of publication. A total of 1.43 million copies – including hardcover editions, e-books and audio books – were sold on Tuesday, the day of publication, in the USA, Canada and Great Britain.
Explosive details and harsh criticism
The more than 500-page autobiography, which Harry penned with the help of ghostwriter JR Moehringer, includes his perspective on the tensions within the royal family and many personal details. Among other things, Harry writes that he sniffed cocaine, had his first time with an older woman and had a serious falling out with brother William.
In addition, Harry gave several interviews and was harsh on his family and the British media. Even before the start of sales, explosive details had become known through leaks. None of this hurt sales – quite the opposite.
Compared to “Spare,” sales of other hits from the publisher were downright modest: Barack Obama’s “A Promised Land” sold more than 887,000 copies on its first day in the US and Canada, according to Penguin Random House announced. Michelle Obama’s memoir Becoming, also published by Penguin Random House, sold more than 725,000 copies in the US and Canada on its first day, the company said.
“Understanding Prince Harry through his own words”
Gina Centrello, Publishing President of the Random House Group, described Harry’s memoir as heartfelt, courageous and intimate. “Spare” is the story of someone you thought you already knew. “But now we can really understand Prince Harry through his own words,” British news outlet PA Centrello was quoted as saying. “Spare is a book that must be read and we are proud to publish it.”
Source: Stern
I am a 24-year-old writer and journalist who has been working in the news industry for the past two years. I write primarily about market news, so if you’re looking for insights into what’s going on in the stock market or economic indicators, you’ve come to the right place. I also dabble in writing articles on lifestyle trends and pop culture news.
