O.J. Simpson’s ‘If I Did It’ Book Sales Surge Following His Death, Dominates Criminology Chart

After the death of O.J. Simpson at age 76, his controversial book “If I Did It” has seen a significant surge in sales, rocketing to the forefront of the criminology charts. The news of his passing, announced by the Simpson family a day later, sparked renewed interest in the infamous 1994 double murders of Nicole Brown Simpson and Ron Goldman.

The book is currently topping the charts in several formats—audio, abridged, and unabridged—securing the number 1, 2, and 4 positions in the Criminology section on Amazon.com, and ranking eighth in the Murder/True Crime category.

“If I Did It,” co-written with ghostwriter Pablo Fenjves, proposes a hypothetical scenario where Simpson describes how he might have committed the murders, assuming his guilt. The book’s initial release triggered widespread outrage, with critics slamming Simpson for profiting from the tragedy and exacerbating the victims’ families’ suffering.

The backlash was so severe that ReganBooks, the initial publisher, scrapped the project. This move eventually enabled the Goldman family to acquire the book’s rights. They reissued it in September 2007 under the title “If I Did It: Confessions of the Killer,” a variation of Simpson’s original planned title.

Although the Goldmans have yet to receive the full $33 million owed from the civil judgment, the recent uptick in sales promises them some financial respite. With the book’s continued success, a substantial check for Fred and Kim Goldman may be on its way soon.