Da Vinci Code paperback sales soar

NEW YORK – “The Da Vinci Code” is a smash in paperback, too. More than 500,000 copies of Dan Brown’s historical thriller sold in its first week of paperback release, and an initial printing of 5 million has been upped to 6 million, publisher Anchor Books told The Associated Press on Wednesday.

Russell Perreault, vice president and director of publicity for Anchor and Vintage Books, paperback imprints of Random House, Inc., said the weekly sales were the highest in memory for a paperback. Anchor/Vintage has issued Bill Clinton’s “My Life” and numerous Oprah Winfrey picks, including James Frey’s “A Million Little Pieces” and Rohinton Mistry’s “A Fine Balance.”

Brown’s book has already sold more than 40 million copies worldwide in hardcover and continues to sell well three years after publication, helped in part by an endless series of controversies, most recently a copyright lawsuit in London.

A decision is expected Friday on the claim by Michael Baigent and Richard Leigh that Brown’s book “appropriated the architecture” of their 1982 nonfiction work, “The Holy Blood and the Holy Grail,” a best seller thanks in large part to the “Da Vinci” boom.

The “Da Vinci” paperback came out March 28, not because interest in the hardcover had slowed down, but in anticipation of the May 19 film version, starring Tom Hanks.

“We expect `Da Vinci’ sales to continue to grow through the release of the movie next month,” Borders spokeswoman Beth Bingham said Wednesday.

“In addition, the Da Vinci-like titles are doing very well. Books like `Secret Supper,’ `The Last Templar,’ `The Templar Legacy‘ and `Labyrinth‘ are all very popular right now.

Read Another Article

As legislators struggle with ban, Phelps church expands picketing
Russia holds sect leader in Beslan children fraud

Related News Articles Topic(s): Da Vinci Code Subscribe to Religion News Blog updates Subscribe to Religion News Blog [What is this?] Get Religion News Blog's headline by Email [What is this?] Follow Religion News Blog at Twitter Find Related Information Use our custom search engines to find additional research resources on religions and cults: ApologeticsSearch.com: Search for apologetics articles, books, videos, and other research resources across 135 Christian apologetics websites and blogs. CounterCultSearch.com: Search for information about (religious) cults, cult-like organizations, and cults experts -- as well as paranormal-, New Age, and pseudoscientific claims -- across 260+ websites, blogs and forums dedicated to cult research, spiritual abuse, ex-cult counseling & support. Find Related Religion & Spirituality Books at Amazon.com Da Vinci Code Possibly related... or Most Popular Religion News Articles Kent Hovind: Evangelist arrested on federal charges Beast’s real mark devalued to ’616′ Muslim Woman Gives Sex Advice on Arab TV Michael Jackson Confirms Conversion to Islam Kent Hovind, ‘Dr. Dino,’ guilty on all counts The fall and rise of Carlton Pearson Search False prophet Harold Camping sets another date for rapture: May 21, 2011 Watch the film Theo van Gogh was murdered for Kent Hovind — Dr. Dino — sentenced to 10 years in prison

Search Religion News Blog