Chomsky’s book zooms up charts

One week after his work was cited by Venezuelan leader Hugo Chavez, demand for Noam Chomsky’s “Hegemony or Survival” remains strong.

Chavez, who called President Bush “the devil” while addressing the United Nations Sept. 20, held up a copy of Chomsky’s book, which is subtitled “America’s Quest for Global Dominance,” and advised, “very respectfully, to those who have not read this book, to read it.”

The book, first published in 2003, soon topped the bestseller list of Amazon.com, and publisher Henry Holt last week announced a new printing of 25,000. On Wednesday, with Chomsky at No. 2 on Amazon, another 25,000 paperback copies were commissioned.