Michelle Obama had about as big a first day as could be expected.
Her much-anticipated memoir, “Becoming,” sold more than 725,000 copies on its publication date, Nov. 13. Penguin Random House said the sales, on all formats in the United States and Canada, is the largest single-day sales total for any of its books published this year. Penguin Random House is the world’s largest trade publisher.
The book’s first print run totaled an astounding 1.8 million copies. Penguin Random House has gone back to press for 800,000 more hardcover copies.
“Becoming” was also published in 31 languages around the world.
“We are thrilled by the extraordinary response to Mrs. Obama’s beautifully rendered and deeply personal memoir, and we are confident that ‘Becoming’ will inspire millions of readers,” said Madeline McIntosh, CEO of Penguin Random House U.S.
The sales of “Becoming” match those of two other hugely popular titles published this year: Bob Woodward’s “Fear: Trump in the White House,” which came out in September, sold 750,000 copies on its first day. “Fire and Fury,” Michael Wolff’s book on Trump, has sold more than 2 million copies in this country.
Obama’s 10-day book tour of the country began Nov. 13 in her hometown of Chicago. The tour comes to San Jose on Dec. 14 at the SAP Center, where the former first lady will in conversation with former NPR host Michele Norris.