Hillary Clinton’s latest book, Something Lost, Something Gained: Lessons on Life, Love, and Liberty, hit bookstores last month, but the response has been far from what her team might have hoped. According to The Washington Free Beacon, the book sold just 27,000 copies in its first week—a significant drop from the sales of her 2017 release What Happened, which moved 167,000 copies during its debut week. The steep decline in sales has raised questions about the former Secretary of State’s continued relevance in the political and literary arenas.
Something Lost, Something Gained is Clinton’s latest attempt to reflect on her life, political career, and lessons she’s learned about love, liberty, and leadership. However, it appears that much of the public has moved on, with only a fraction of her 2017 readers picking up her latest work. The 2017 book, What Happened, was released in the aftermath of Clinton’s stunning loss to Donald Trump in the 2016 presidential election, and it aimed to provide a firsthand account of that defeat.
At the time, Clinton’s publisher, Simon & Schuster, celebrated the book’s relatively strong performance, despite the polarized public opinion surrounding her. Carolyn Reidy, the publisher’s president and CEO at the time, boasted that What Happened had “the biggest first-week sales recorded by any author for a hardcover nonfiction title published since 2012.” Reidy also noted that readers were eager to gain Clinton’s perspective on the historical election and its aftermath.
However, with the sales of Something Lost, Something Gained down more than 80% compared to What Happened, it’s clear that Clinton’s latest literary endeavor has failed to generate the same interest.
Clinton has long been a central figure in American politics, particularly during her tenure as First Lady, her time as Secretary of State, and her two runs for president in 2008 and 2016. While she remains an influential voice within the Democratic Party, especially among her loyal base, the sharp decline in book sales suggests that her influence over a broader audience may be waning.
The underwhelming performance of Something Lost, Something Gained raises questions about Clinton’s ability to remain relevant, especially as other Democratic figures, like Vice President Kamala Harris, are beginning to rise in prominence. The low sales could indicate a growing disinterest in hearing Clinton revisit the political themes of her past, especially as the political landscape has shifted dramatically since 2016.
Unsurprisingly, the poor sales figures did not go unnoticed by critics of Clinton and the Democratic Party. Bill Mitchell, CEO of YourVoice Studios, weighed in on social media, mocking the lackluster debut of Clinton’s book and linking its failure to a broader trend of declining interest in left-leaning media.
“If Kamala’s agenda is so popular, why do their movies and books fail so badly?” Mitchell questioned, taking a swipe not only at Clinton but also at other Democratic figures like Vice President Harris. He continued to mock Clinton’s latest literary effort, suggesting that it was a reflection of the diminishing appeal of the Democratic Party’s message.
FAIL NOTICE: Hillary Clinton's latest book, "Something Lost, Something Gained," DRASTICALLY underperforms, with first-week sales down more than 80 percent compared to her previous memoir. If Kamala's agenda is so popular, why do their movies and books fail so badly. 🤣 pic.twitter.com/zuJAWt9oz6
— Bill Mitchell (@mitchellvii) October 10, 2024
“Who else thinks it is absolutely hilarious that Hillary Clinton’s new book is a complete disaster?” Mitchell wrote in another post. “This has always been my question. If the far-left agenda is so popular, why do all of its news shows, books, and movies go broke for lack of interest?”
Mitchell’s comments highlight a broader criticism from many conservatives who argue that the Democratic Party’s message, especially from its more progressive wing, does not resonate with the majority of Americans.
There are several potential reasons why Clinton’s latest book has failed to resonate with readers in the same way What Happened did. For one, the 2017 book was released at a time when the country was still reeling from the shock of Donald Trump’s election. There was significant public interest in understanding how such an unexpected outcome came to be, and many were eager to hear Clinton’s version of events.
In contrast, Something Lost, Something Gained lacks that sense of urgency or relevance. Released nearly a decade after Clinton’s 2016 defeat, the book does not carry the same weight or relevance in the current political climate, where new figures have taken center stage.
Moreover, some readers may simply be fatigued by Clinton’s continued presence in the spotlight. While she has loyal supporters, there is a growing sense that the public is ready to move on from the 2016 election and the political battles that defined that era.
Despite the disappointing sales of her latest book, Clinton remains a significant figure in American politics, and it’s unlikely that she will fade into obscurity anytime soon. Her work, both in and out of public office, has left a lasting mark on American political history, and she continues to be a key player in Democratic fundraising efforts and advocacy for women’s rights.
However, the reception of Something Lost, Something Gained could be a sign that Clinton’s days as a central figure in the national political conversation are numbered. As new political leaders emerge and the focus of the Democratic Party shifts, Clinton may find herself playing more of a background role in future elections.
For now, it seems that the public’s appetite for Clinton’s reflections on life, politics, and her personal journey has significantly diminished, as the 27,000 copies sold of her latest book would suggest.