BUYERS & BOOKSELLERS UNITE IN REVULSION AGAINST OJ’S BOOK ACCORDING TO POLLS
OJ Simpson’s controversial new book, If I Did It, overwhelmingly got the cold shoulder from book-buyers who wouldn’t buy it and booksellers who wouldn’t sell it, according to two polls conducted by AbeBooks.com – the world’s largest online marketplace for new, used, rare and out-of-print books.
The polls showed buyers and sellers were united in their fury over the book which hypothetically examines how the former NFL star could have killed his ex-wife, Nicole Brown Simpson, and her friend, Ron Goldman. The book has since been pulled by the publisher.
AbeBooks.com asked visitors to its site whether they would be prepared to buy the book and 97 per cent said no. A total of 371 buyers were polled and the comments - where words such as, despicable, disgraceful, disgusting, outrageous, and sick were commonplace - included:
- “I would not spend one cent to put money in OJ’s pocket.”
- “What a mockery of humanity. I hope no one buys this book.”
- “All profits should be confiscated and given to the families (of Brown & Goldman).”
- “OJ Simpson brings America to a new low with his utter lack of decency.”
- “He (OJ) is a disgrace to the human race.”
- “The idea of Simpson gloating and making a profit from a double murder is obscene.”
- “He and his publisher have no sense of decency.”
AbeBooks also polled independent professional booksellers across North America selling through its site and asked how many were prepared to stock the book set to be published November 30 –96 per cent said no. A total of 979 booksellers were questioned. Bookseller comments, which were equally emotional, included:
- “I cannot in my conscience sell this book.”
- “I do not believe people should be able to profit from their crimes.”
- “OJ and whoever publishes this crap should be imprisoned.”
- “He’s killer. Do you want all books by killers to be on the bestseller lists?”
- “It lowers the book industry to a new depth.”
- “I believe in freedom of speech…but the whole idea of it is nevertheless disgusting.”
- “If I were given 50 free copies, I wouldn’t sell it.”
- “Our store does not believe in censoring books… however, we aren’t carrying OJ’s book.”
With If I Did It attracting huge media attention, AbeBooks.com has seen little interest from buyers in Simpson’s previous book, I Want To Tell You, published in 1995. Only a handful of visitors to AbeBooks.com have searched for it.
