Record-breaking US sales for The Testaments

Margaret Atwood's The Testaments has sold a record-breaking 125,000 copies in all combined formats in the US in its first week on sale, according to Penguin Random House US. 

The Booker-shortlisted book, which was published by PRH US imprint Nan A Talese/Doubleday in the US, enjoyed the "best day one sales for any Penguin Random House title in 2019," according to the publisher. PRH UK has not released UK sales figures. 

Since Tuesday 10th September, Doubleday has gone back to press twice on The Testaments since its initial 500,000 print run with its 1985 prequel The Handmaid's Tale also going back to press. 

US chain Barnes & Noble reported "fantastic" first-day sales. B&N's senior director of merchandising for trade books Liz Harwell told Publishers Weekly: “It was up against tough comparisons for the record books, not least of which was Bob Woodward’s Fear, which was on fire this time last year. We also had one of the best Stephen King launches for quite some time. The Institute did amazingly well, but our bet is that Margaret Atwood will win the race to the top of the bestseller list. Our Book Club sign-ups for The Testaments have been really strong even at this early stage.”

In the UK, Waterstones celebrated its biggest first day of sales of 2019 with The Testaments (Chatto & Windus) following its global publication on Tuesday 10th September. Waterstones said The Testaments had surpassed the record total day one sales of Fing by David Walliams and Tony Ross (HarperCollins). Fing sold 75,862 copies its first week through the TCM and to date 416,906 copies.

Nielsen BookScan will release print sales for The Testaments tomorrow (Tuesday 17th September).