Penguin Random House has suspended sales and promotional efforts for a forthcoming book by writer Ross Barkan, who was recently dismissed from New York Magazine due to numerous instances of plagiarism. The book, titled "The Revolutionary: Zohran Mamdani and the Remaking of American Politics," was scheduled for an October release.
Online retailers including Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Target, and Walmart no longer list the book, as first reported by The Washington Post. While book pages have been removed from these sites, the publication could still be found in online archives.
Barkan, who frequently praised New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, had been promoting the book in recent weeks. He stated in a July Substack post that he conducted several hours of interviews with Mamdani and spoke with more than two dozen individuals, including those close to the mayor, allies, and opponents. Barkan also claimed to have interviewed Bernie Sanders and Steve Bannon for the project.
He described the work as "a behind-the-scenes, deeply reported window into Zohran Mamdani’s campaign and early days as Mayor of New York, and the impact his socialist platform will have on a local and national scale — from a New York magazine journalist with unparalleled access."
Barkan, who had previously managed Mamdani's campaign for local office in 2018, also attempted to market the book to his readership, acknowledging that some might be skeptical of Mamdani or anticipate a one-sided narrative.
The decision to halt the book's rollout came shortly after New York Magazine terminated Barkan's employment, citing 67 instances of alleged plagiarism. Barkan has reportedly shown little remorse for the accusations and had been promoting a new column for The Nation. However, the publication stated it had no plans for such a column and was reviewing his past work, suggesting his freelance role there could also be in jeopardy.
The scandal has drawn criticism on social media. Political commentator Gerson Borrero drew a parallel to the Jayson Blair plagiarism case at The New York Times in 2003, questioning any leniency afforded to Barkan. Conversely, some individuals, such as The Atlantic's Michael Powell, have suggested that while Barkan made mistakes, his talent warrants consideration for his career, advocating for humility and a sincere apology rather than a complete cancellation.