This page provides a list of the largest deals for books and book series to date. It differentiates from the list of best-selling books in that book deals are secured before the book is released, and often before the book is completed. The books are listed according to the highest book deal estimate as reported in reliable, independent sources.American authors hold the record for the largest book deals made for individual books (Bill Clinton and Britney Spears), and for book series (James Patterson and Barack and Michelle Obama). While Patterson's book deal with Hachette Book Group is by far the largest for a book series, Patterson has disputed the reported amount.
Contrary to popular belief, J. K. Rowling's advances for the individual Harry Potter books or series overall do not appear on this list. For the first two books in the series (1997's Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone and 1998's Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets), she received an advance of £2,000 apiece. Rowling's later book The Casual Vacancy, released in 2012 and not affiliated with the Harry Potter series, does appear on this list. List of largest deals for individual books These book deals share some facts in common: The top five book deals have been memoirs and their authors have all been American.
Note: book deals are listed at the time the book deal was made and not adjusted for inflation.
Book Author Author nationality Original language First published Approximate dealGenreMy LifeBill Clinton American English 2004 $15 millionMemoirThe Woman in MeBritney Spears American English 2023 $15 millionMemoirHard ChoicesHillary Clinton American English 2014 $14 millionMemoirBorn to RunBruce Springsteen American English 2016 $10 millionMemoirThe Girl with the Lower Back TattooAmy Schumer American English 2016 $9 millionMemoirCrossing the Threshold of HopePope John Paul II Vatican City Italian 1994 $8.5 millionNonfiction LifeKeith Richards British English 2010 $7.3 millionMemoirBack to Blood Tom Wolfe American English 2008 $7 millionNovelThe Covenant of Water Abraham Verghese American English 2023 $5 million NovelThe Casual VacancyJ. K. Rowling British English 2012 Between $2—$8 millionCrime fiction
List of largest deals for books series Note: book series deals are listed at the time the deal was made and not adjusted for inflation. Book series Number of books in series Author(s) Author(s) nationality Original language First published Approximate dealGenre17 books (11 adult; 6 children's) 17 James Patterson American English 2009 $100—150 millionCrime fictionBecoming and A Promised Land2Michelle Obama (Becoming) Barack Obama (A Promised Land) American English 2018 (Becoming); 2020 (A Promised Land) $65 million+MemoirsCentury trilogy (Fall of Giants, Winter of the World, and Edge of Eternity) 3Ken Follett BritishEnglish 2008 (Fall of Giants); 2012 (Winter of the World); 2014 (Edge of Eternity) $50 millionHistorical fictionThe Downing Street Years and The Path to Power 2Margaret Thatcher BritishEnglish 1993 (The Downing Street Years); 1995 (The Path to Power) £3.5mMemoirs See also
List of best-selling fiction authors List of bestselling novels in the United States List of literary works by number of languages translated into Lists of books
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