Wall-to-wall publicity may make or break sales – LATHAM’S DIARIES: [1 All-round Country Edition]
John Stapleton, Natasha Robinson. The Australian [Canberra, A.C.T] 19 Sep 2005: 4.
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Abstract
Duncan Johnston, chief executive of Collins Booksellers Group, a franchise of 33 stores, said the company was expecting good sales in city stores but not in country areas. “About 20 of our stores are in large regional towns and a lot of them are saying `[MARK Latham] who?”‘ he said. “Whereas in the city, we already have quite a few orders and we expect a lot more to come in the door. The booksellers are rapt in the media attention.
Booksellers Association president Derik Dryden was concerned too many details had come out in the media and people would feel no need to buy the book. “When Loner, Latham’s biography, was released it took off with a huge rush and died a week later,” Mr Dryden said. “We still have 60 copies in the back room … We call it Loser, not Loner.
“I saved [SIMON CREAN] and now he’s backgrounding against me. This is how they usually get caught: retailing the words in too many places. Simple Simon. Bitter Simon.
Full Text
MARK Latham may have missed his chance to strut the world stage but, in one respect at least, he looks likely to go one up on former US president Bill Clinton.
Booksellers are predicting The Latham Diaries, which go on sale today, could outsell Mr Clinton’s mammoth autobiography My Life in Australia.
The blanket coverage of revelations from Mr Latham’s diaries has led to such interest from the book-buying public that its publishers have decided to bring forward its release by two days, creating a logistical nightmare for Melbourne University Press.
“It is very difficult,” said chief executive Louise Adler. “We are dealing with the geographical expanse that is Australia.”
Ms Adler said booksellers believed the 450-page tome could sell as well as My Life, which broke publishing records in the US for a non-fiction book.
“The publicity is unprecedented for a political book in Australia,” she said.
Ms Adler said Mr Latham was “thrilled to bits” with the response to the book. “We’re all delighted. I think it’s been a terrific response.”
Duncan Johnston, chief executive of Collins Booksellers Group, a franchise of 33 stores, said the company was expecting good sales in city stores but not in country areas. “About 20 of our stores are in large regional towns and a lot of them are saying `Mark who?”‘ he said. “Whereas in the city, we already have quite a few orders and we expect a lot more to come in the door. The booksellers are rapt in the media attention.
“Keep it going — it might be the only way his book sells.”
Booksellers Association president Derik Dryden was concerned too many details had come out in the media and people would feel no need to buy the book. “When Loner, Latham’s biography, was released it took off with a huge rush and died a week later,” Mr Dryden said. “We still have 60 copies in the back room … We call it Loser, not Loner.
“I’m worried, with all the interviews and everything. Do people feel they have all the dirt and there’s no need to read the book? … I wonder how it can sustain sales.”
The manager at Mary Ryan’s Books in Brisbane said the shop had quite a few orders and were expecting the Diaries to sell well.
Readings bookshop in Carlton, Melbourne, was forced to create a sign advising readers the book was not on sale until today. The shop has taken about 70 orders.
But not everyone was keen to purchase what one customer described as “that Latham vitriol”.
“All the crap I’ve heard coming out of that ingrate’s mouth in the past week has been more than enough for me,” said customer Roger Manning. “I’ve got better things to spend my money on.”
LATHAM ON …
… PROTESTS
“Yesterday I wandered around to the front of the building to have a look at the union protest/riot. Part of me wanted to join in, to grab a sledge-hammer and rip and tear against the Tories and their tin-pot parliament. Still, I know how these guys feel, and good on them for having a go.”
– August 20, 1996
… SIMON CREAN
“I saved Crean and now he’s backgrounding against me. This is how they usually get caught: retailing the words in too many places. Simple Simon. Bitter Simon.
Ungrateful Simon.”
– November 30, 2004
… TORY GRUBS
“Behind the scenes the Coalition are a dirty piece of work. For all their talk of God and family, the Tories are a bunch of grubs – one hand on the Bible and theother up their clacker.”
– November 20, 1996
… ROSS CAMERON
“Ross Cameron, the brilliant but creepy Liberal member for Parramatta, has talked me into participating in his youth leadership forum. I rather suspect it’s a front for mobilising young Christian soldiers, plus some quality box for Ross.”
– February 14, 1997
… JOHN HOWARD
“Our side was reinforced by (former Australian fast bowler) Merv Hughes and the middle-order batting wizardry of John Howard.
Actually, he’s hopeless. He’s also a smelly little bastard. The rest of us boys tubbed up with a group shower after the match but not the PM. He must have thought Big Merv was a soap catcher.”
– March 14, 1997
… PAUL KEATING
“Keating calls from Shanghai. ‘Only maddies can lead this country and get things done. Look at me. I’m as mad as a cut snake.’ He ended the call by telling me to ‘stay in the crouch’, as if we were commandos in the jungle. I might be known as a maddie myself, but I am nowhere near this guy’s league.”
– October 12, 1999