Can't find Mark Twain? Kindle's got him.

The 736-page "Autobiography of Mark Twain," published a full 100 years after its author's death, was a surprise bestseller when it came out earlier this month.

That's terrific news for the University of California Press, the book's publisher, which says "Autobiography of Mark Twain" is the biggest seller it's ever had.

Original plans called for a printing of 7,500, which was upped to 50,000 by the time the book actually went to press. It's since gone back again and again, bringing the total number of printed copies to 275,000. But still, it is hard to find -- as the N.Y. Times reported Friday, the book is selling so fast that it's selling out.

On Tuesday night, major L.A. independent bookstores Skylight and Book Soup were sold out of Twain's memoir. Vroman's had a few left in stock, but they warned that they wouldn't last. "We've sold out twice already," said bookseller John Oschrin. "It's incredible."

The book's surprise popularity points to one of the awkward parts of the publishing industry: The printing and shipping of them takes time. A weighty tome like Twain's will sag the shoulders of delivery people at every juncture as new copies slowly make their way from distribution centers to bookstores.

And yet the book is hot right now. And people who want Twain's autobiography can get it lickety-split if they've got a Kindle, or use the Kindle app on another device. All it takes is the time to download.

Immediate access is one advantage, but not the only one. The Kindle edition is selling for $9.79, while the hardcover retails for $34.95. The Kindle edition will add no weight to a Kindle; the hardcover weighs four pounds, about the same as an average chihuahua.

The Kindle version is certainly popular. It's resting comfortably among contemporary bestsellers in Amazon's Kindle store, a few spots ahead of Nora Roberts and Fanny Flagg, lagging behind George W. Bush and an electronic version of sudoku. It's at No. 25 in the Sony Reader ebook store and is not available as an ebook in Apple's iBook store.

On Amazon, the hardcover "Autobiography of Mark Twain" is at No. 2 in its bestsellers overall, while it's only at No. 12 in the Kindle store. What's more, in the Kindle store the book is falling, rather than rising.

So if it's hard to get a hardcover and easy to get the ebook, why isn't it topping the ebook charts? Could it be that when it comes to a tome, its massive bookishness is part of its appeal?

Twain's autobiography -- which has, incidentally, two later installments still to come -- is now in its third week on the L.A. Times bestseller list.

-- Carolyn Kellogg

Comments

[Ron Hogan]

"So if it's hard to get a hardcover and easy to get the ebook, why isn't it topping the ebook charts?"

I'd guess that the majority of Kindle owners who were also interested in the Twain autobiography bought it already, when it was fresher, and the ones buying it now are the ones playing catch-up to the avalanche of attention.

Also, it's easy to get the e-book.... when you own an e-book reader.

[Nathan]

If you just want to read the text, like this weirdo here, it is free on the marktwainproject.com and has been for weeks. It's legal and published by the editors and curators of Mark Twain's collection. It is a beautiful and hyperlinked wonder to view online.

[Chuck]

Is this an Amazon.com press release? Digital versions are also available at bn.com for the Nook or directly from UC Press as an Abode e-book. No doubt there are other outlets available too.

[Tom]

It's an heirloom, and a fantastic Christmas gift...that's why.

[Bic]

You say "So if it's hard to get a hardcover and easy to get the ebook, why isn't it topping the ebook charts? "

Duh. These lists are relative to other books, so obviously other e-books are still outselling the Twain one. That doesn't mean it's not doing well. In fact, it could also still be outselling the hardcopy one and still not be as high on the e-book chart as the hardcopy one is on the print book bestseller list. Your statement makes little sense.

[Carolyn]

Actually, Bic, the same books are in competition on Amazon's Kindle and overall bestseller lists. The hardcover Twain is at #2 overall, right behind George Bush's "Decision Points." On the Kindle bestseller list, which has George Bush at #2, the Twain is at #12. Other books -- by Stieg Larsson and John Grisham, for example -- are higher on the Kindle bestseller list than the Twain is, even though they aren't ranked as highly overall (it makes sense, I promise).

[Latina Fatale]

It's amazing to me that this is flying off the shelves. Ah, if I could only perfect the art of maintaining your relevance after so many years. I am going to place this on my 2011 must reads too!!