Prince Harry's Memoir: A World Publishing Phenomenon

[MrsMaxDeWinter]

There will likely be several bashing threads on Harry's memoir before it is published, but I am interested in discussing with anyone who is interested in the very interesting marketing choices of the publishers and their approach.

English language editions of SPARE will be published on 10 January 2023 in EIGHT territories: the US, the UK, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, India, South Africa and Canada.

The book will also be published in translation in 15 additional languages:

SPANISH Plaza & Janés/Penguin Random House Grupo Editorial
GERMAN Penguin Verlag/Penguin Random House Verlagsgruppe GmbH, PORTUGUESE BRAZIL Objetiva/Grupo Companhia das Letras
PORTUGUESE PORTUGAL Objectiva/Penguin Random House Grupo Editorial, SIMPLIFIED CHINESE Penguin Random House China
DANISH Politikens Forlag
DUTCH Hollands Diep, an imprint of Overamstel
FINNISH Otava Publishing Company Ltd
FRENCH Éditions Fayard
GREEK Pedio Books
HUNGARIAN Corvina Kiadó
ITALIAN Mondadori,
POLISH Wydawnictwo Marginesy,
ROMANIAN Nemira Publishing House,
SWEDISH Albert Bonniers Förlag.

This is absolutely sensational as it means it will be simultaneously published in 23 territories on the same day.

There are not many books where simultaneous release occurs in different markets. From this, I would say that the book will more than earn its advance, just from the foreign sales alone.

They also chose a banger of a title as it puts focus on the troubling notion of the Spare in a system based on primogeniture, and one that imbues both intrinsic and extrinsic value based on a person's birth order.

Imagine growing up knowing that no matter how loved you may be, your constitutional role is ultimately to be the spare to the heir.

Can't wait to read it!

As we're sharing images...

It’s also a bestseller in Biographies & Memoirs of Royalty (Kindle format).

Excellent - half the rrp as well for ‘Spare Hardback’ - Get your orders in !

Get your orders in !
**
The #1 bestseller status suggests people are doing just that.

Only 3500-5000 need to be sold to make number 1 bestseller on Amazon, so not quite the gotcha you seem to think it is.

I will not buy this book. I will just stroll the media to find the worst bits about it. That will be better reading than the book itself 😅

It’s delicious, isn’t it? Don’t worry, I’m sure they can fulfil your order too. If not, I have a spare.

😅 hardback hard done

Is Harry a woman now ?

Is it correct to state "By Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex (Author) when in fact it is written by the ghost writer?

I thought people were joking who said the audio version was narrated by PH himself, but I just checked who the narrator is and it is him!
That's what they do sat next to each other at that big table in their office - voice training for Harry from Meghan!

I hope the ghost writer got a hefty fee - must have been torture listening to those two

It's all calculated. I don't need to be a fly on the wall to know how that meeting about the cover photo went 😅

I reckon The Times will

Well The Times. the Telegraph, the Daily Fail, The Sun and The Mirror. All for free and a lot more fun and merry 😅 not too mention the NY publications which have been lately actually very insightful when reading the "room"

Let's not forget the Daily Express 😅 less prominent and sometimes dropping a "naice" article for balance, but we all know what they thinkin'

The sense of ownership over the Royal Family is strong.

I thought people were joking who said the audio version was narrated by PH himself, but I just checked who the narrator is and it is him!

I did exactly the same earlier ... so if the reception goes tits up, that's the end of any excuses about he didn't know what was in it/didn't read all of it, etc.

I have never claimed to be a social commentator and therefore don't expect you to take me seriously as one. I am a poster on Mumsnet sharing my opinions, much as you are doing.

And no, I am not going to apologise for not being British, disappointing as that may be to you. I have said before, that I am a woman from an African country that I prefer not to name. I was educated in the UK, the US and in my own country. I have worked in a few places around the world.

I have never claimed do be an expert on "British literature", nor even posted about "British literature" more broadly. I simply asked for recommendations of UK literary memoirs as I don't come across that many. On a previous thread, I talked about my admiration for Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, the Nigerian author: that's as much about literature as I have posted.

I have also said I work in publishing, specifically, in translation. I work in 3 languages but speak 5, so my phraseology as you call it is not rooted in just one language. You said my posts show I don't know the first thing about publishing and when I asked what specifically, you came up with the post above.

Meanwhile, back to the topic, it is fantastic to see SPARE do so well across the world, topping or heading up the best seller list in several territories.

@Xenia you may feel that it is not a very British thing to do, to "air dirty laundry", but Harry's mother and father would beg to disagree. After all, they both did it in the memoirs they approved, Diana talking about her unhappy marriage and Charles talking about how cold his mother was. So while it may not be a British thing to do, to air dirty laundry, it certainly appears to be a Royal thing to do. Good on Harry if he continues the tradition, because the British really love tradition😁

I thought people were joking who said the audio version was narrated by PH himself, but I just checked who the narrator is and it is him!
That's what they do sat next to each other at that big table in their office - voice training for Harry from Meghan!

Yes I heard on R4 this morning that he was the narrator. They seemed to think he had the right voice for audio. Why would he need voice training lessons from Meghan? Is that because she has good vocals and pitch? and would they just buy in a voice coach?

But this post could also be written against the critics. Almost word for word

I wouldn’t buy it but I’ve never bought a book on the royals. There will be enough parts trotted out in the media that I can’t see why anyone would spend the money, no need.

Then a completely new thread is started: "Aren't Meghan and Harry really doing rather well in their quiet and understated way?".

So the question is why do you post on threads that support the couple? Why not find threads that don't and engage with them instead. I don't think many of your fellow critics are looking for a debate as suggested by a pp.

Critics can mention other RF members to compare against M&H unfavourably but supporters shouldn't name other RF members to give examples

How DARE you suggest 3500-5000 copies in a highly niche category need to be sold to become “best seller”!?

I sold EIGHT in one particular niche category. Yep, eight.

fiddly fudgey numbers aye.

It's a curious phenomenon indeed @PreparationPreparationPrep

There are always LOADS of negative threads on any given day.

But the minute a person starts one that is not negative, they are immediately accused of being Meghan, as I have been, of being PR as I have been, even of being "American", as I have been.

Its almost as though only one narrative is allowed here.

What I genuinely don't get is why people who claim H and M are "irrelevant" and "should just disappear" spend so much time saying how much they detest the couple and then get very agitated at anyone who tries to defend them.

There's naught as queer as folk!

Meh I'll wait til it's in our local library then will borrow a copy

Cost of living crisis and all that!

Is this book part 1 of 3? Did I remember that correctly?
If so I guess it will just cover his childhood.