Public Vetoes Most Pols' Books

Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid are big deals in Congress, but their power apparently doesn’t extend to bookstores, Politico reports. Despite much-hyped releases, new books by the Speaker of the House and the majority leader have sold a mere 6,500 copies—combined. These days, even B-list lawmakers have book deals, but most of the tomes sell just as poorly as Reid’s and Pelosi’s.

There are exceptions, including both major presidential contenders. Newt Gingrich’s 1995 book was an instant bestseller, but “now everyone’s doing it, so it’s not as interesting,” said one expert. Politicians keep churning out books anyway, looking more for prestige than for money. A spokesman says Reid is perfectly happy with his book, currently 268,581st on Amazon’s sales chart. (More book stories.)