NEW YORK — As Mary Trump prepares for her estranged uncle’s return to the White House, she believes that any forthcoming books related to his presidency will struggle to achieve the same level of success as first-term exposés like Michael Wolff’s bestselling “Fire and Fury” or her own hit, “Too Much and Never Enough.”
“What’s left to discover?” she states. “For those unaware, the information is widely available. Everything is already pretty transparent.”
During Donald Trump’s time in office, a notable surge in political book sales was recorded, partly fueled by his legal threats and controversial tweets. According to Circana, which tracks about 85% of the hardcover and paperback book market, political book sales nearly doubled from 2015 to 2020, climbing from approximately 5 million to around 10 million copies sold.
In addition to Wolff’s and Mary Trump’s works, other prominent titles included James Comey’s “A Higher Loyalty,” John Bolton’s “The Room Where It Happened,” and Bob Woodward’s “Fear.” Moreover, there was a noticeable increase in sales of dystopian fiction, especially Margaret Atwood’s “A Handmaid’s Tale,” which enjoyed a successful adaptation into an award-winning series on Hulu.
However, interest in political books has receded to levels seen in 2015 since Trump exited office, according to Circana, and publishers are skeptical that sales will return to previous highs. There has been a lack of enthusiasm for books revolving around President Joe Biden and his family, and even Trump-related publications have seen decreased interest. While Mary Trump’s “Who Could Ever Love You” and Woodward’s “War” have found popularity this fall, neither title has come close to matching the sales figures of their earlier books from Trump’s first term.
“We have experienced this many times with these various Trump-related books,” noted HarperCollins publisher Jonathan Burnham. He indicated that there remains a market for some Trump-focused books, particularly those analyzing recent elections, as there exists an intelligent, generally discerning audience that seeks insightful commentary.
In the aftermath of Trump’s election victory, classic works like “The Handmaid’s Tale” and George Orwell’s “1984” resurfaced among bestsellers, along with modern titles such as Timothy Snyder’s “On Tyranny,” which expanded on a widely shared post Snyder penned soon after Trump’s win over Hillary Clinton. Books catering to Trump supporters also saw an uptick, including works by cabinet nominees like Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s “The Real Anthony Fauci” and Pete Hegseth’s “The War on Warriors,” as well as J.D. Vance’s “Hillbilly Elegy,” which has maintained high sales figures since being selected as Trump’s running mate.
Meanwhile, Melania Trump’s memoir, simply titled “Melania,” released in October, has consistently ranked high on Amazon’s bestseller lists, despite criticism that it lacks any noteworthy revelations. Circana reports that it has sold over 200,000 copies, not accounting for sales through her personal site.
“The Melania book has exceeded expectations, performing better than we anticipated,” remarked James Daunt, the CEO of Barnes & Noble. “Following the Election Day, we sold out of our stock.”
Consistent sales for conservative literature have been noted through the years, with several publishers — including Hachette Book Group — establishing imprints to cater to these readers. Anticipation remains that critical books could still achieve bestseller status, primarily due to the tradition within the publishing industry of favoring the party out of power. Yet the format and content of such works remain unpredictable. There’s a possibility that former insiders could part ways with Trump and produce memoirs, similar to Bolton or former attorney Michael Cohen, or that his anticipated initiatives could inspire substantive investigative works.
A successor to “Fire and Fury,” however, seems unlikely, as Wolff’s earlier success stemmed from extensive access to Trump and his team during his presidency. Members of Trump’s current team have already dismissed Wolff, labeling him a “known peddler of fake news who routinely fabricates events, discussions, and conclusions.”
A publicist for Wolff declined to comment. On the other hand, Woodward, who extensively interviewed Trump for his 2020 bestseller “Rage,” expressed uncertainty about his next subject. While he doesn’t rule out a future book about Trump, it would rely on Trump’s behavior and his ability to navigate challenges.
“He desires to be the ‘imperial president,’ making all the decisions without opposition,” Woodward stated. “He has faced obstacles before, and there’s a chance he will encounter more. I’m unsure what will transpire next. I’ll be vigilant and continue reporting, but my next steps are still unclear.”