"1984" sales up 126%

[sirs]

Sales of George Orwell’s "1984" are up 69 percent on Amazon, according to a list on the website.

The book marked its 60th anniversary on June 6 amid a flurry of real-world news stories on secret government surveillance.

Amazon lists the paperback version of the sci-fi classic as the 19th biggest book on its Movers and Shakers list. The current sales rank is 110.

The list identifies the biggest gainers in sales rank compared to 24 hours ago.

Update: As of 3:22 p.m. EDT, sales of Orwell's "1984" are up 91 percent on the Amazon Movers and Shakers list.

Update II: As of 10:16 p.m. EDT, sales of Orwell's "1984" are up 126 percent on the Amazon list. The sales rank is now at 71 - up from 161.

Just FYI

[Xavier_Onassis]

So what?

It would be more useful if Edward Bellamy's LOOKING FORWARD were read more, also ECOTOPIA.

[sirs]

So what?

"Just FYI"

[sirs]

It would be more useful if Edward Bellamy's LOOKING FORWARD were read more, also ECOTOPIA.

I don't think we're allowed to make suggestions any more.  Just FYI

[Xavier_Onassis]

Well, I just did.

Maybe you are the one banned from making suggestions.

[sirs]

Well that's "obvious"

[Plane]

Sales of George Orwell’s "1984" are up 69 percent on Amazon, according to a list on the website.

Probly a good thing.

[sirs]

Probably

[Xavier_Onassis]

I imagine that this is due to more teachers assigning it for classes. That is how older books generally get read.|

Perhaps you might give us the stats for the sales of Cliff's Notes for 1984. That would be illustrative of what is going on.

Buying the book does not mean one will read it. Reading the book does not mean one will agree with it.

[sirs]

More of that unsubstantiated guessing?  Kinda like congress debating Prism

I guess I can play that game......Perhaps you can provide us with the stats of those teachers assigning it to their classes.  And buying the book does not mean one won't read it, quite the contrary in fact, since they shelled out some dollars for it.  And reading the book can quite nicely bring one to agree with it

[Xavier_Onassis]

Agree with what? 1984 is SCIENCE FICTION. It is not about any country or system that has ever existed. It resembles Fascist Italy, Stalinist Russia and Nazi Germany in some ways.

Can you agree with I, Robot?

Animal Farm is also assigned. It is also a work of fiction.

One reason teachers assign books is because they have been made into films. Both Animal Farm and 1984 have been made into films, both are relatively short, and both are useful for getting students to write essays about them.

[sirs]

Agree with what?

The premise

1984 is SCIENCE FICTION.

Star Trek is science fiction, Star Wars is science fiction, Firefly is science fiction, Battlestar Galactica is science fiction.  Many of their stories though were generated by actual sociatel trends, such as race.  Science Fiction is driven by the what if.  That doesn't discount parables, premices, and ideas.  It has squat to do with trying to take something literal, its merely providing insight into the what-if, and potentially, what-is

One reason teachers assign books is because they have been made into films. Both Animal Farm and 1984 have been made into films, both are relatively short, and both are useful for getting students to write essays about them.

That's all nice and neat,.... now.....where's the stats to back it up, that the exponential increase in 1984 sales is generated by the teachers?  Or even some teachers?  How's that look-up on the congressional debate of Prism coming along?

[Xavier_Onassis]

Ancient books that are in the top 200 are in that position because they have been assigned for classes, like Catch 22, Moby Dick and Catcher in the Rye.

http://www.lessonindex.com/1984_by_George_Orwell.htm

http://www.webenglishteacher.com/orwell.html

http://www.teachervision.fen.com/science-fiction/activity/3305.html

All these and more are guides written for teachers to use 1984 as a text, mostly in high school.
It is an idea book, since it has no serious sex scenes and does not offend anyone's religion.

And of course, if Junior is not a great reader, he can (nudge, nudge) rent the movie. Or movies, one was made in 1956, the other in 1984.

I have been an educator for over 40 years. I have helped select fictional works for high school.  I know more about schools than you.

[sirs]

That answered absolutely nothing.  But at least you provided something.  That's a better effort than the invalid claim of congress having debated the Prism program, so that's some progress.  Good job

[Xavier_Onassis]

At no point did I ever claim that Congress debated Prism.

I think I saw some fleeting reference to the title in a news magazine, but I have never claimed that it was debated. If it was, it was on a triple secret probational debate plan.