Does Controversy Always Sell Books? - somersault

Does Controversy Always Sell Books?

According to a news release issued by publisher HarperOne (@HarperOne), the new book Love Wins: Heaven, Hell, and the Fate of Every Person Who Ever Lived by Rob Bell that has ignited a national controversy “debuts this week at #2 on The New York Times bestseller list.” It goes on to say

“Attention for Love Wins began in late February when the book trailer stirred debate on Twitter. Many bloggers responded to Rob Bell's claims about Heaven and Hell with outcries of universalism and heresy, propelling Bell into the top 10 trending topics on Twitter, and prompting HarperOne to advance the book's release by two weeks.”

Is this another example of how the right kind of controversy can sell books – at least in general market bookstores? Controversy hasn't been a reliable sales booster in CBA – outside of a few books like The Shack, and in that case perhaps it wasn’t so much controversy as the enthusiastic personal word-of-mouth conversation that sold the book.

It'll be interesting to see whether controversy helps sell Love Wins in CBA and if stores will stock it if enough people come in requesting it. Another question to ponder: do people shop in CBA bookstores to buy books they expect to disagree with? Or do most consumers go into a CBA bookstore to buy books that affirm their beliefs?

What are your thoughts on this from a bookselling perspective?

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