Louis CK says his first novel, “Ingram,” is number 14 on this Sunday’s New York Times best seller list.
He’s right. It’s there. But ‘why’ is a mystery. That’s because “Ingram is number 1,007 on amazon.com’s best seller list.
“Ingram” is not even in the top 150 on USA Today’s best seller list.
How could a book so low on amazon and USA Today be a NY Times best seller? Makes no sense.
It’s possible the Times is counting sales at Louis CK’s comedy shows, or from direct marketing to fans.
On amazon there are 98 customer reviews which are 98% positive.
In the real world, however, “Ingram” is not a success with reviewers.
The title of the actual review in Texas Monthly is: “Louis C.K.’s New Texas Novel Isn’t Just Bad—It’s Not Even Texan.” They also said: it’s a “baffling imitation of Faulkner by way of Cormac McCarthy.”
Slate.com says: Louis C.K.’s Debut Novel Is a Mess: Ingram is the disgraced comedian’s first literary foray. Unfortunately, it reads like one.
On theblaze.com, the reviewer wrote:
“Louis CK’s ‘Ingram’: Skilled comic spews self-indulgent self-abuse”
There are no reviews from Publishers Weekly or Kirkus Reviews, which are standard for most new releases. The NY Times has not reviewed “Ingram” in either the daily paper or in the Book Review. Neither have most traditional outlets.
What is really going on here?
Stay tuned…
