Why 'Red' Outsells 'Blue' In The Book Market

Americans are reading far more right-leaning or "red" books than left-leaning "blue" books, according to a survey by Amazon.

The New York Times hardcover nonfiction bestseller list also reflects the trend: books by Edward Klein and Dinesh D'Sousa that are highly critical of President Obama are near the top of this week's list.

It's a phenomenon that both blogger Ezra Klein and Here and Now literary critic Steve Almond have noticed over the past few years. Almond is a self-proclaimed liberal. But several years back he became fascinated by the frequent appearance of books written by conservative authors like Glenn Beck and Ann Coulter on the non-fiction bestseller lists and on his relatives' bookshelves.

So he set out reading and found that many of the "red" books had compelling narratives.

"These are books that, putting aside whether thy are factual or not, are deeply emotionally and psychologically involving," he told Here & Now's Robin Young.