A self-published e-book by a leading climate skeptic challenging the science behind Al Gore’s “An Inconvenient Sequel” is outselling the film’s companion book on Amazon.
Mr. Gore’s book was ranked 16,459th among paid Amazon e-books as of midday Friday, while the e-book “An Inconvenient Deception: How Al Gore Distorts Climate Science and Energy Policy,” was ranked 328th.
The 81-page rebuttal was written by climatologist Roy W. Spencer, principal research scientist at the University of Alabama in Huntsville, who criticized the Gore movie and book as “chock-full of bad science, bad policy, and factual errors.”
In a head-to-head matchup in the Amazon category of climatology, the Spencer book was ranked first Thursday while Mr. Gore’s handbook came in 11th.
The comparison isn’t entirely scientific. Mr. Spencer’s e-book is the more recent release, appearing on Amazon last week, while Mr. Gore’s was published July 25 by Rodale Books.
Mr. Gore’s book is also available in paperback and audio, which has presumably cut into his Kindle sales, while Mr. Spencer’s is only available in e-book form.
At the same time, Mr. Spencer self-published his rebuttal with no paid advertising, while “An Inconvenient Sequel” benefited from the film’s publicity blitz by Paramount Pictures and Mr. Gore’s own international promotional tour.
“Maybe people are finally wising up to Mr. Gore,” Mr. Spencer said on his Global Warming blog.
“An Inconvenient Deception” was also ranked first in Kindle short reads for science and math, and first in the environment category.
Mr. Gore’s 320-page book “An Inconvenient Sequel: Truth to Power,” is described as “your action handbook to learn the science, find your voice, and help solve the climate crisis.”
The movie, which played last weekend in 514 theaters, has grossed $3.1 million since its July 28 limited release, according to Box Office Mojo.
• Valerie Richardson can be reached at vrichardson@washingtontimes.com.
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