Author James Patterson Blasts NY Times for Manipulating Their Best Seller List

Popular author James Patterson has called out The New York Times (NYT) for allegedly manipulating their Best Seller List.

The Best Seller List is highly coveted by authors, and they dream of making it on the list. Most would assume that the list is based on the number of copies sold. However, Patterson noticed that a recent best seller did not make the list, and this made him wonder how the list is compiled.

What’s up with @NYTimes best seller lists? Anybody besides me notice that @MikePompeo’s book sold more copies than 6 titles on today’s list?

After Patterson noticed that his book, Walk the Blue Line, a collection of real-life stories from police officers across the US, was placed below other lower-selling titles, he contacted NYT to inquire how they determine their list. He was not happy with the answer he received. The Times informed his publishing company that their list ranks based on “raw sales.” Patterson was concerned that his book, which humanizes police officers, was not highlighted by the Times.

Feeling aggrieved, Patterson proceeded to write a letter to the NYT editor, complaining about the issue. However, the paper declined to publish his letter. He, therefore, posted the letter on social media instead.

As a reader of the newspaper, I know mistakes are sometimes made. And that you have an admirably thorough and public process for correcting – and drawing attention to, and working past – your mistakes. I also know that this spirit of self-criticism and getting-it-right is too often absent from your bestseller lists.

The fact is that you regularly publish lists that say a book sold better, or worse, than another even when it’s probably wrong.

I’m asking you to please cut it out. We live in a world where truth and accuracy are under frequent fire. This may be a narrow trade industry concern, but this lack of journalistic rigor also redounds to the reputation of what I has always believed is the most truth-loving, influential news outlet in the world.

Publishing house Regnery cut its ties with The New York Times Best Sellers List in 2017, alleging that the list had been “rigged” for years.

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