in_the_media
Sales aren't the point of presidential candidates' books
Posted Dec 18, 2011
Media Outlet:
Philadelphia Inquirer
All the current candidates for president — except former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum (last published: 2006) have a new or fairly new book out this holiday season, with a few candidates doing book tours alongside campaigns. "All our early presidents — Washington, Adams, Jefferson, Madison — had done extensive writing before their presidencies," says James Hilty, history professor emeritus at Temple, "and myths about their lives were built up in the stories their supporters passed along about them." But, according to Hilty, the books are having less and less of an impact, "especially with the rise of the Web."