Melania’s upcoming memoir already tops Amazon bestseller chart days ahead of release

Former first lady Melania Trump is now a bestselling author, as calculated by Amazon’s sales rankings.

Her forthcoming memoir, Melania, is the #1 seller in Amazon’s “Books” category, as of Friday afternoon. It is scheduled for an October 8 release.

Amazon calculates its bestseller list based on actual sales or downloads of its books, and says it updates the chart “frequently.” On Friday, the #2 spot was occupied by a childrens’ book penned by YouTuber Ms. Rachel, with Dr. Casey Means in the #3 position, a paean by Vivek Ramaswamy to Donald Trump’s “America First” movement at #4, followed by the deluxe limited edition of Onyx Storm by fantasy author Rebecca Yarros, whose Empyrean book series is being adapted for television by Amazon Studios.

This time last month, Melania was #1 in a variety of other categories on Amazon, including “Memoirs,” “US Presidents,” and “Political Leader Biographies.” She has promoted the book, which is #17 in Amazon’s year-to-date sales rankings, with a series of appearances and videos, in one of which she defended, apparently unprompted, her past nude photoshoots. She is also currently hawking a $600 gold “Vote Freedom” necklace, a move that has drawn mockery.

“In her memoir, Melania reflects on her Slovenian childhood, the pivotal moments that led her to the world of high fashion in Europe and New York, and the serendipitous meeting with Donald Trump, a chance encounter that forever changed the course of her life,” the book’s sales page reads. “Melania opens up about their courtship, life in the spotlight, and experiencing the joy of motherhood. She shares behind-the-scenes stories from her time in the White House, shedding light on her advocacy work and the causes close to her heart.”

The 256-page tome is being published by Skyhorse Books, an outfit that has put out works by election denialists and Trump impeachment lawyer Alan Dershowitz, along with no fewer than 35 books on the JFK assassination. It also released Disloyal, a memoir by former Trump lawyer Michael Cohen that was highly critical of his ex-boss, as well as a 2021 anti-Anthony Fauci screed by third-party presidential candidate-turned-MAGA-acolyte Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

Melania, according to Skyhorse’s marketing materials, “offers an unprecedented look” into her time in the White House, describing her as someone who has “led a remarkable life on her own terms. Melania Trump’s story is one of resilience and independence, showcasing her strength and unwavering commitment to her true self. “

Although the more granular details of Melania sales are not yet known, the Republican National Committee was raked over the coals twice in the past five years for spending several hundred thousand dollars buying up copies of Donald Trump Jr.’s two self-published books.

On Friday, the #1 nonfiction book on The New York Times bestseller list, for combined print copies and electronic downloads, was Something Lost, Something Gained, by Hillary Rodham Clinton.

A blurb from Trump on Melania’s Amazon page pays tribute to his 54-year-old third wife, who stuck by him publicly after allegations emerged that he’d had an affair with porn star Stormy Daniels while the new Mrs. Trump was pregnant, reading, “Melania is my rock and foundation and I wouldn’t be the man I am today without her by my side.”