OCR Text |
Show Dunn revelations don't slow sales - By MARK EDDINGTON Staff Writer BOUNTIFUL What effect have revelations about Paul H. Dunn's combining and fabrication of stories had on the sales of his books and tapes? Very little, according accor-ding to customers and managers of area bookstores. "It has had no effect whatsoever," what-soever," said Loren Richards, who manages a Seagull Book Store in Bountiful. "I've only had one complaint com-plaint by a lady who brought back a tape of his war experiences and exchanged it for something else." Others bookstore managers like Nick Thomas are discovering the same thing. "Sales of Paul H. Dunn material are down slightly, but overall, they remain pretty good," said Thomas. Thomas, who manages Kaysville J Book and Supply, said Dunn's t books and tapes are always popular. "He has always been the very best seller there is." Dunn, a Mormon Church general authority on "emeritus" status, receives royalties from 23 tapes and 28 books. In an article printed by The Arizona Republic last month. Elder Dunn admitted many of the first-person baseball and war stories in his books and tapes were fabricated fab-ricated or combined elements of fact and fiction. He also acknowledged acknowl-edged fabricating many of the stories about his family. Despite these admissions, Dunn's books and tapes continue to sell, and there are no plans by Deseret Book or other bookstores to stop selling the books. "The public will be the ultimate decider if Paul H. Dunn remains part of our inventory or not," said Roger Toone, vice-president of public pub-lic relations at Deseret Book. "If SEE DUNN ON A-2 the stories better," said Adam Moore. Moore's opinion was seconded by Maureen Stott, who manages Sam Welter's Bookstore in Boun-tiful's Boun-tiful's Five Points Mall. "I will still " PAU L H. i I DUNN ' '""f") ' ' -"! Mrr"1"' ' L 1 f j , 1 I I i '- I " ' -k 'f J I Have Ve kx?iv$ c T he lxm& 1 Dunn CONTINUED FROM A-l we stocked only books everyone agreed on, we'd have a very small inventory." Deseret Book has not yet determined deter-mined how the controversy will affect af-fect sales, but Toone said if inventories inven-tories are down the book store chain could remove the books and tapes . Richards devotes a third of one wall in his store exclusively for the sale of Dunn's materials and said he has a soft spot in his heart for Elder Dunn, who he said is a personal friend of his family. One of Richards' sons took care of Dunn's yard when the author had heart problems. "People are paying too much attention at-tention to where his stories came from instead of what those stories are trying to teach," the manager said. "I don't care where the stories come from, I'll still buy his tapes. My family and I think he' s great. ' Richards' feelings place him solidly in the mainstream of public opinion on the question of whether or not bookstores should continue to sell the material. "I think bookstores should sell his books. All he did was to make recommend his books. They are so positive and such great teaching tools," Stott said. According to Moore, Sam Weller's can expect to sell about 40 of Dunn's books every two weeks when the author comes out with a new release. Dunn's next book is about fathers and will be released next summer. He is scheduled to appear June 16 at Richards' store in Bountiful to promote the book. To many outside and some inside the Mormon faith, Elder Dunn's misrepresentations may be controversial, con-troversial, but locally they do not appear to be much of an issue. "My history books said George Washington, Thomas Jefferson and Benjamin Franklin were all heroes. Now the history books tell us Franklin was a horse thief and Jefferson Jef-ferson slept around," Richards said. "I don't know why we have to be told that. Personally, I'd rather believe George Washington really did chop down the cherry tree. I'd hate to have someone come up with a story of Jesus Christ." Like Deseret Book, area book stores seem to be willing to let the public decide the fate of Elder Dunn's books and tapes. Among the many available works from Elder Paul H. Dunn are the numerous tapes and stories on videos. Dunn is one of the most popular LDS speakers and authors in the church members today. |