Giving book not getting attention
It sounds like sales of former president Bill Clinton's book "Giving," have dropped far since its release in early September. The handbook for civic activism was published by Alfred A. Knopf with an announced first printing of 750,000. According to Nielsen BookScan, "Giving" sold nearly 50,000 copies its first week, but hasn't approached that since. For the week ending Oct. 7, only 9,600 copies sold.
2 comments:
Why have sales of Bill Clinton's book have not met the irrationally exhuberant expectations of the publisher? While there's no data to establish the reason, I suspect it's because Clinton's entire involvement with philanthropy is as a cheerleader, not a significant donor. It's hard to accept him even in that role, after a career politics where he redistributed money taken involuntarily through taxes to special interests who helped keep him in office. (Not unlike most other politicians, who, like Clinton, would not do well as cheerleaders for philanthropy.)
Clinton's former political friend Al Gore has now staked out a position as leader of world environmentalism, a position which will, I predict, become increasingly untenable as the current brouhaha about global warming proves out to be a tempest in a teapot -- so perhaps Clinton is jealous and competing with his former number 2.
Both efforts have the distinct flagrance of cynicism and self-aggrandizement, which is genetic to the political culture in which both have marinated for decades.
Oh, for honest political leaders who understand the limits that government should abide by and the necessity for individual freedom, and who do not continue dressing up the failed collectivist nostrums of the 20th century in MTV 21st century palaver.
Should Hillary become president, Bill will need a project as all first ladies have had before him. I'm excited to think that encouraging personal volunteerism might be his.
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