Sales great 'in both formats,' company says

Online retailer Amazon has today confirmed that Walter Isaacson's Steve Jobs biography led in combined Kindle and print book sales at its storefront during 2011. "We chose ‘Steve Jobs’ as one of the Top 10 best books of the year, and even though it was published in October, the sales have been phenomenal in both formats," comments Amazon's senior editor for books, Chris Schluep. The title was earlier announced as Amazon's bestselling book of 2011, but that ranking appears to have excluded Kindle editions.

Immediately behind Isaacson's work in a new top 10 list are Bossypants by Tina Fey, and A Stolen Life by Jaycee Dugard. Amazon mentions that the fourth- and ninth-place books -- The Mill River Recluse by Darcie Chan, and The Abbey by Chris Culver -- made the list as independent, digital-only titles, submitted through the Kindle Direct Publishing program.

Global sales of the Jobs biography are uncertain, since most retailers (including Amazon) have not published exact numbers. The title continues to lead not only on Amazon charts, however, but also on Apple's US iBookstore, and the New York Times' non-fiction list. Sales are likely being propelled by a combination of the holidays and the media attention surrounding Jobs' death on October 5th, only a few weeks before the book was released.

By Electronista Staff