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“1984” publisher orders larger reprinting after sales spike

"Alternative facts"
White House faces criticism over "alternative facts" 06:05

Following the sudden climb of “1984” to the top of Amazon’s bestseller list, the book’s publisher has a larger-than-usual reprint. 

Sales of George Orwell’s classic dystopian novel began spiking following Kellyanne Conway’s use of the phrase “alternative facts” to explain why White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer had presented inaccurate information to the press about attendance at Donald Trump’s inauguration. 

The novel hit No. 1 on Amazon Wednesday morning, prompting publisher Penguin to order a 75,000-copy reprint. “That is a substantial reprint and larger than our typical reprint for ‘1984,’” a spokesman told CNN

According to Nielsen BookScan, “1984” has sold 47,000 copies since Election Day, a sharp increase from last year’s sales. 

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