Ross Barkan book sales halted amid plagiarism scandal

Penguin Random House has halted the sale and promotion of “The Revolutionary: Zohran Mamdani and the Remaking of American Politics,” a forthcoming book by journalist Ross Barkan. The decision follows a plagiarism scandal that led to Barkan’s dismissal from New York Magazine.

New York Magazine reported that a probe found 67 columns by Barkan that lacked proper attribution of language, information, or sourcing. Following his termination, The Nation announced it is conducting an internal review of Barkan’s contributions to the publication dating back to 2019. While Barkan had previously suggested he would begin a new column for The Nation, a spokesperson for the outlet clarified that he is not under contract and no such plans exist.

The book, which was scheduled for an October release, has been removed from major retail websites including Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Target, and Walmart.