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Boris Johnson’s much-anticipated memoir failed to top last year’s bestseller list after former Tory rival Rory Stewart outsold him.
Despite a flurry of media attention ahead of its release in October, left It was less than the publisher’s expectations. Sales slumped and year-end ratings reflected poor performance.
This book could only reach the 45th rank bookselleris the UK chart and failed to secure a place in it The Sunday TimesTop 50 list
In contrast, Mr. Stewart’s Political Memoirs, Politics on the edgeresonated more strongly among the readers. particle for direct object Rest is politics Podcast host and outspoken critic Mr. Johnson saw his book climb to #29 The Sunday Times‘ Bestseller list and 28 doors booksellerRatings
Despite an apparent £2m advance on the 784-page account of his time in Downing Street, Mr Johnson managed to sell just 42,528 copies in its opening week, and just 138,000 in total, according to The Bookseller.
Given the huge advance and mass media attention the book has received, this is far less than his publishers, HarperCollins, might have anticipated.
Other authors who beat the veteran conservative included two books by Richard Osman, the Guinness Book of World Records 2025 and several cookbooks.
Weeks after its release, it was reported that the book’s lackluster reception had left stores with “stacks and stacks” of leftover copies.
He talks on his podcast The rest is entertainmentRichard Osman said at the time: “Harper Collins thought he was going to do Prince Harry numbers and he [Harry] It sold 450,000 in the first week and he [Mr Johnson] It has sold 42,000, far below their expectations. “They paid too much.”
Mr Johnson’s sales are well below those of predecessors Margaret Thatcher, who sold around 120,000 copies after her memoirs were published in 1993, and Tony Blair, who sold 92,000 in the first week.
In the book, Mr Johnson recounted a series of bizarre anecdotes, including claims that he was the one who convinced Prince Harry to remain at the forefront of the royal line, as well as considering a military “attack” on Netherlands to confiscate covid vaccines. .
left It received a mixed reception from critics, with social media posting images of copies in the fiction sections of stores or next to books such as Surrounded by liars and Surrounded by fools by Thomas Erickson
Independent gave the film just one star out of five, describing it as “shameless and predictable”.
