As if Thanksgiving and the full-on rush into Christmas wasn’t enough excitement this week in The Villages, Sarah Palin once again graced the community, this time as part of her book tour for Going Rogue: An American Life.

The video (to the right) by Tampabay.com captures the feel of the event — the lines, the sentiment of people, and Palin’s enthusiasm for The Villages.

The former nominee for Vice President showed up at the Lake Sumter Landing Barnes and Noble on Tuesday (Nov. 24) and was greeting by an enthusiastic crowd. When Palin addressed supporters at the event, the enthusiasm seemed mutual.

“To be back at The Villages, oh my goodness, this is a blast,” said Palin. “There is something very special about this place.” She also said that The Villages was the favorite campaign stop for her daughter, Piper, who is now 8 years old. Piper and toddler son, Trig, puttered back stage as Palin spoke.

Palin thanked people for buying her book and for reading her story, “unfiltered by the media,’ and encouraged people to “go rogue” with her.

The crowd was smaller than when she came in September 2008, campaigning with John McCain, but some folks still arrived a full day early to make sure they got a wristband – the magic ticket that got you into the bookstore where Palin signed books. Crowd estimates ranged from 700 to a more than 1,500.

The event was covered locally and nationally and captured on video. The Christian Science Monitor even pointed out that Palin mentioned The Villages in her book.

Yep, on page 265, Palin talks about her visit to The Villages while on the campaign trail. Aside from noting the humidity was like a “hot, wet blanket”, Palin was taken by the golf carts in The Villages. She likened them to the boats and snow machines favored by Alaskans.

Palin’s other Florida book stops included Orlando and Jacksonville.

Book sales for Going Rogue have been brisk. The book is at the top of the New York Times Best-Seller list for hardcover non-fiction books. Glenn Beck’s book, Arguing with Idiots, is number 4, and A Simple Christmas, by Mike Huckabee, is number 5. Both Beck and Huckabee also recently visited The Villages.