Olivia Nuzzi's 'American Canto' Faces Muted Sales Despite Media Frenzy

The Media Frenzy That Failed to Translate to Book Sales

When Olivia Nuzzi's memoir American Canto hit shelves this week, it arrived amid a storm of controversy that had dominated media and political circles for months. Yet the book's actual reception has been surprisingly muted, leaving many to question whether the scandal that once captivated the nation has lost its commercial appeal.

A Career in Turmoil and a Controversial Comeback

Nuzzi's professional journey has been nothing short of dramatic. In October 2024, the prominent political reporter lost her position at New York Magazine after admitting to an affair with Robert F. Kennedy Jr. — the very independent presidential candidate she was profiling. The relationship, described as "passionate but purportedly never physically consummated," created an ethical firestorm that cost Nuzzi her job.

Eleven months later, however, Nuzzi staged a high-profile return. She was announced as Vanity Fair's new West Coast editor, followed shortly by a New York Times celebrity profile complete with dramatic black-and-white photos of her driving through California. The article also revealed her plans to turn the career-upending romance into a memoir, setting the stage for an explosive literary debut.

"We ordered a lot and so far, people have not been beating down the door. I'm not sure where we're gonna put them because right now, supply is outpacing demand."

— Alex Howe, bookseller at McNally Jackson Books

Release Day Disappointment

The book's launch on Tuesday coincided with a major winter storm in the Northeast, but weather alone doesn't explain the tepid reception. Physical bookstores reported minimal interest. At Barnes & Noble on Fifth Avenue, just seven copies sat on a "New & Notable" rack below Malala Yousafzai's memoir. Meanwhile, at McNally Jackson Books — a hub for media professionals — several dozen copies remained unsold by mid-afternoon.

"We ordered a lot and so far, people have not been beating down the door," said bookseller Alex Howe. "I'm not sure where we're gonna put them because right now, supply is outpacing demand."

Online sales were equally underwhelming. By Wednesday morning, American Canto ranked No. 6,709 on Amazon's overall bestseller list, having already slipped from its brief moment at No. 1 in the "Journalist Biographies" category. The Brooklyn Public Library reported only 33 holds on its four e-copies.

The Gap Between Curiosity and Consumption

Despite the lack of buyers, the Nuzzi saga remains a hot topic in publishing circles. McNally Jackson staff openly discussed the drama, with one employee admitting to dissecting the events with friends and family. Bookseller Howe compared the fascination to "a car crash on the highway where I feel curious and also bad for them."

This points to a key disconnect: while journalists and media insiders followed the drama closely — evidenced by the viral PDFs of her ex-fiancé Ryan Lizza's paywalled Substack takedown — few seem willing to pay for the book itself. The controversy may have generated headlines, but it hasn't translated into paying customers.

Competing in a Crowded Market

Political memoirs have faced mixed results this year. While Kamala Harris' 107 Days achieved bestseller status, Pennsylvania Sen. John Fetterman's Unfettered was considered a "flop" by store staff. Nuzzi's book now competes not just with other political works, but with celebrity memoirs from figures like Britney Spears and bestselling fiction authors.

"It can be hard to compete with the likes of Britney Spears and Emily Henry for attention and sales," Howe noted.

What's Next for Nuzzi?

For now, American Canto serves as a cautionary tale about the fleeting nature of media hype. While the book may yet find its audience, its early performance suggests that the public's appetite for this particular scandal may have peaked. For Nuzzi, the memoir represents an attempt to reclaim her narrative, but the market's response indicates that her next chapter won't be written by book sales alone.