Tony Blair's book takes unexpected journey
Updated on 03 September 2010
Tony Blair's autobiography is turning up in some unexpected sections of bookshops. Channel 4 News speaks to one political blogger who thinks the plot might just increase sales.
Tony Blair's book should be sitting alongside the memoirs of other political big hitters: Barack Obama, Margaret Thatcher and Bill Clinton but, in some cases, it is also sharing a shelf with Agatha Christie and Ruth Rendell.
A new Facebook group called "Put one of Tony Blair's books in the crime section of your bookshop" has appeared on the internet and there are photos on Twitter beside the tweet: "Brighten up your day by moving at least one of Tony Blair's books to the crime section in your local bookshop".
The memoir is also popping up in other unexpected areas. Channel 4 News has found a photo of it in the Tragic Life Stories section of one well known chain. It is smuggled in with titles including No Safe Place and Vanished.
But Tony Blair is not the only target of this kind of plot. Peter Mandelson's recent memoir The Third Man has been photographed in the fiction section.
Political blogger and bookshop founder Iain Dale told Channel 4 News it is a very British thing to do but ultimately it might backfire on those behind the plan: "It's deeply ironic but if the book appears in different sections it might actually increase sales."
Not that it appears to need any help on that front. Early indications suggest A Journey will be a record breaker in terms of political autobiographies. Some chains have been selling it at less than half price since its launch on Wednesday.
Iain Dale predicts the reach of Facebook and Twitter means more people will get involved: "I suspect it'll put ideas in people's heads. We could see more and more people pick up a copy and move it to whatever section of the shop they want to. I think it could be irritating for bookshop owners if thousands of copies are moved."
Last month Tony Blair announced, to mixed reaction, that he would be donating the book's profits to the Royal British Legion.
