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But did it really?
If it did, how would we even know?
The short answer to that last question: Good luck.
Then theres the term best seller itself; even book-business insiders dont always agree onwhat it actually means.
But that big number for Michelle 2 million is easier to interrogate.
Heres what we know aboutBecoming.
As of the latest update,Becominghas now sold 365,000 more copies than BookScans No.
2 best seller for the year, Joanna GainessMagnolia Table,published in April.
So whence that number that got all of our attention 2 million copies over two weeks?
Why was Penguin Random Houses number bigger than BookScans by a margin of 875,000 copies?
PRH also included Canadian sales, which BookScan doesnt.
Nor does the service account for e-books or a rapidly growing category of late: digital audiobooks.
Shehad 16 events scheduledbeforecanceling some overseasin order to attend George H.W.
At ticketed author events, books are often sold bundled with tickets and typically handled by a third-party vendor.
(Becomingnow has 3.4 million copies in print, according to its publisher.)
2 in print, youre a big seller, but its hard to quantify.
Lets say, in 2018,Becomingends up selling 3 million print copies according to BookScan.
Well, thats a number.
Its not the definitive number, but its a number we can compare.
Amazon runs multiple lists and releases no numbers.
Which they all currently do: ItsBecoming.
Whether the sales forBecomingwere really record-breaking in the first two weeks is hard to tell.
(That said …the Obamas bookdeal?
Now,thatsa record-breaker.
Was it worth it?
According to an expert, no clue.)
But 2 million in sales over the first 15 days is likely a fairly accurate estimate.
One thing is for certain: Obamas memoir is a runaway success by any sales measure.
Its sales are likely to top 2.5 million copies as this week comes to a close.
But I wouldnt bet on it beating outThe Lord of the RingsorHarry Potter and the Sorcerers Stoneanytime soon.
