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Memoir's Sales Plummet Amid Death and Plagiarism Claims
22 Aug
Summary
- Memoir sold 433 print copies in first five days.
- Author died unexpectedly at age 41 on Aug. 14.
- Publisher reportedly paid $1.4 million for the book.
Jason Arday's memoir, "Great and Unfortunate Things," saw dismal sales, with only 433 print copies sold between August 11 and August 15. These figures exclude digital sales and emerged following Arday's death on August 14, when he was found deceased at the age of 41. Police indicated his death was unexpected but not suspicious.
The book's release was overshadowed by plagiarism accusations leveled against the former Cambridge professor. He resigned from his position on August 5, amidst public scrutiny. Despite these allegations, the publisher announced its intention to proceed with the memoir's release on August 11.
Details indicate the publisher may have paid approximately 1.4 million pounds or dollars for the rights to Arday's memoir. As of August 22, 2026, the publisher had not responded to requests for comment regarding plans for the book amid the controversy and the author's death.
