Sandberg book scores big sales for its first week

The Associated Press, Wednesday, March 20, 2013, 9:06am (PDT)

NEW YORK (AP) — Sheryl Sandberg has the ear, and the eyes, of the country's book buyers.

Sandberg's "Lean In" sold 140,000 copies its first week of publication, has gone back to press seven times for additional printings and now has 400,000 copies in print, publisher Alfred A. Knopf announced Wednesday.

It has been at No. 1 on Amazon.com's best seller list since coming out March 11 and has also placed high on lists for Barnes & Noble and independent sellers, topping the nonfiction list for IndieBound, a list for independent stores.

Facebook's chief operating officer is hoping to create a national movement to help women advance in the workforce and her book became the focus of intense debate well before publication.

"'Lean In' is resonating with readers and animating conversations across the country," said Knopf's head of publicity, Paul Bogaards, who noted that sales have been strong despite just a brief promotional tour by Sandberg.

She also appears to be helping sales of other books. Since her recent praise of "Now, Discover Your Strength," by Marcus Buckingham and Donald O. Clifton, the hardcover edition of the 12-year-old book has moved into the top 300 on Amazon. Fred Kofman's "Conscious Business," which she has cited as essential for executives, also jumped into the top 300 on Amazon and currently is out of stock. The book first came out in 2006.