Scott Morrison's Memoir Faces Low Sales and Commercial Struggles in Australia

Former Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison's memoir, 'Plans For Your Good: A Prime Minister's Testimony of God's Faithfulness,' has faced disappointing sales in Australia. Despite significant free publicity, the book has not resonated with local readers.

Why this matters: The commercial flop of Scott Morrison's memoir has implications for the publishing industry and the marketability of political figures as authors. This could influence the decisions of publishers and politicians considering writing memoirs in the future.

According to Nielsen BookScan, Morrison's memoir sold only 218 copies in the week ending May 18, ranking 827th on the bestseller list. The hardback edition fared even worse, with only one sale during the same period.

Publishers HarperCollins and W Publishing have defended the sales figures, noting that Nielsen's data does not account for all sales channels. Damon Reiss, Vice President of W Publishing, emphasized, *'BookScan numbers do not include all sales for all formats across all retailers inside or outside the US.'*

Morrison has been actively promoting his memoir in the United States, targeting the lucrative evangelical book market, which was valued at approximately $1.14 billion in 2022. However, neither publisher has provided specific sales data from these efforts.

Adding to the commercial challenges, major Catholic booksellers in Melbourne and Sydney have opted not to stock Morrison's memoir. This decision may have further impacted the book's local sales performance.

Despite the setbacks, Morrison's memoir has attracted attention because of his post-parliamentary life and his efforts to reach a broader audience. The free publicity from print, TV, radio, and online media initially raised expectations for strong sales.

The book's poor performance in the local market indicates a commercial flop for Morrison, highlighting the challenges political figures often face when transitioning to authorship. The focus now shifts to the US market, where Morrison continues to promote his memoir.

To recap, Scott Morrison's memoir has experienced low sales in Australia, with only 218 copies sold in a week and minimal support from local booksellers. The publishers' defense of the sales figures and Morrison's efforts in the US evangelical market suggest that the full commercial impact remains to be seen.

Key Takeaways

• Scott Morrison's memoir sold only 218 copies in Australia in one week.
• The book ranked 827th on the bestseller list, with only 1 hardback sale.
• Publishers defend sales, citing untracked channels, but no specific data provided.
• Morrison targets US evangelical market, valued at $1.14 billion in 2022.
• Major Catholic booksellers in Australia opted not to stock the memoir.