Story perspectives

Sally Rooney’s UK ban sparks 291% sales surge

By Drooid · Oct 22, 2026, 2:09 AM UTC · How we work

Summary

Story summary

Faber & Faber withdrew Sally Rooney’s novels from UK retailers because it could no longer supply them.
Nielsen BookScan reported a 291% weekly sales increase for Rooney’s titles after the withdrawal announcement.
Hundreds of writers, actors and musicians signed an open letter in the New Statesman condemning the ban.
Independent bookshops across Britain sold out and began sourcing copies from Ireland.

History

Historical Context

In 1989, Ayatollah Khomeini issued a fatwa against Salman Rushdie, prompting the UK and other nations to ban The Satanic Verses. Penguin Books halted distribution, yet the novel still sold over 2 million copies worldwide, while protests swelled to 10,000 participants in London. Similarly, Faber & Faber’s 2024 withdrawal of Sally Rooney’s titles sparked a 291% sales surge and forced independent shops to import books from Ireland. These episodes illustrate how censorship attempts can amplify demand, prompting cross-border supply chains and galvanizing cultural solidarity among writers, actors, and musicians.

1 of 2

Story summary

Faber & Faber withdrew Sally Rooney’s novels from UK retailers because it could no longer supply them.
Nielsen BookScan reported a 291% weekly sales increase for Rooney’s titles after the withdrawal announcement.
Hundreds of writers, actors and musicians signed an open letter in the New Statesman condemning the ban.
Independent bookshops across Britain sold out and began sourcing copies from Ireland.

1 / 2