Jason Arday Memoir Sold Just 433 Print Copies in First 5 Days | Exclusive

Jason Arday's memoir "Great and Unfortunate Things" had a minimal commercial impact, selling only 433 print copies during its first five days on the market, according to Circana BookScan figures supplied exclusively to TheWrap. This period encompassed August 11 to August 15, and the figures do not factor in e-book or audiobook sales.

Arday passed away on August 14. The memoir's acquisition price from Simon & Schuster was reported as "1.4 million" by The Guardian, though the currency was not specified. These sales figures arise amidst a significant media narrative following Arday's allegations of plagiarism, his resignation from Cambridge University, and his untimely death at the age of 41.

Police determined his death as unexpected but not suspicious. Arday's resignation from Cambridge occurred on August 5, amid heightened public scrutiny over his academic and personal background. He maintained that no intentional plagiarism had occurred. Simon & Schuster announced the following day their decision to publish the memoir, which was released on August 11.

The publisher did not comment on pausing sales amid the death and plagiarism allegations. Before Arday's resignation, Simon & Schuster released a statement to The Guardian upholding its commitment to publishing the memoir. They emphasized Arday's professionalism and integrity throughout the publication process. "Great and Unfortunate Things" was described as Arday's personal account of overcoming significant challenges with resilience, based on his own recollections and those of those closest to him.

Eve Claxton co-wrote the memoir with Arday. Simon & Schuster reiterated their commitment to proceeding with the publication on August 6, one day after Arday's resignation. The post "Jason Arday Memoir Sold Just 433 Print Copies in First 5 Days | Exclusive" was originally published on TheWrap.