The Hollow Men creates publishing coup

The Hollow Men creates publishing coup

Craig Potton Publishing has scored a publishing coup with Nicky Hager’s political expose The Hollow Men. The first print-run was completely pre-sold before the injunction barring its release was lifted on Friday last week. And over half the reprint, which in most cases will be instore on Friday this week [tomorrow], has also been presold.

“The speed with which this book is selling is completely unprecedented for a New Zealand book on politics”, says Robbie Burton, Craig Potton Publishing Managing Director and Publisher.

“It’s been a difficult logistical exercise trying to supply bookstores. Once the injunction was lifted on Friday we made the decision to embargo the book until Monday to ensure that all booksellers in New Zealand had stock at the same time. Earlier this week we even had to charter a small plane from Nelson to Wellington to cart a crucial missed delivery. Today we have flown a team of people to Wellington to dispatch books as soon as the binding glue has set, and I have also booked more press time for early next week to ensure continued supply.”

Whitcoulls confirmed that by the end of business on Monday they had already sold half of their original order. “We had impressive pre-orders and are continuing to bring in stock,” Dorothy Vinicombe, Whitcoulls’ Publicity Manager, said this morning.

“There is still considerable customer demand out there and not just from the urban areas where sales of books concerning political issues traditionally do well. One of our Palmerston North branches, for instance, had sold out by lunch time on Monday.”

Vinicombe believes The Hollow Men, aside from the news furore it has created, shows that New Zealanders have a keen interest in what is going on in the corridors of power. “I think the demand for this book shows there is a coming of age in terms of everyday New Zealanders’ interest in politics. Hager and the issues he explores in this book are being discussed on talkback radio and in workplace staffrooms. We are no longer “passionless people” when it comes to politics”.

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