They say that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. In this case, it is the sincerest form of rip-off.
Late last fall, Sarah Palin came out with her most anticipated book and memoir of her short lived career in "Going Rogue: An American Life". Another book, with almost identical cover shot and similar text, came out at the same time called "Going Rouge: An American Nightmare" ...if you don't look closely at your purchase (see above), you may be giving your Republican brother-in-law Cheney-like chest pains when he opens his anticipated 50th birthday present.
The copycat book was the brainchild of Richard Kim and Betsy Reed, editors at The Nation, a progressively southpaw-style publication. They insist it is not a mock or parody of Palin's authentic memoir. It is, however, filled with anti-Palin essays by some 23 contributors.
I believe in the right to free speech, especially when it comes to politics...don't get me wrong. But I think this parody is better suited for a 5-page feature in Mad Magazine (remember "How-are-ya 5-0?" ). Clearly, the book is hoping for the majority of its sales to come from people grabbing the book in a hurry and not seeing the difference or buying as joke gift for others. The rest of the sales will probably come from any publicity Rush Limbaugh generates, if he happens to give one of his patented diatribes against it on air.
Without giving any numbers, a major book retailer, Barnes and Noble, says sales are pretty flat for this "mem-war" compared to the real one. When it comes to marketers there are always going to be leeches and bottom feeders...depending where your political views rest, you may feel either publisher fits the bill.
