632 指代的问题

1.        Selling several hundred thousand copies in six months, the publication of “Maple Leaf Rag” in 1899 was an instant hit, helping to establish Scott Joplin as the preeminent ragtime composer.

(A) Selling several hundred thousand copies in six months, the publication of “Maple Leaf Rag” in 1899 was an instant hit, helping to establish Scott Joplin as the preeminent ragtime composer.

(B) The publication in 1899 of “Maple Leaf Rag” was an instant hit: in six months they sold several hundred thousand copies and it helped establish Scott Joplin as the preeminent ragtime composer.

(C) Helping to establish Scott Joplin as the preeminent ragtime composer was the publication of “Maple Leaf Rag” in 1899, which was an instant hit: it sold several hundred thousand copies in six months.

(D) “Maple Leaf Rag” was an instant hit: it helped establish Scott Joplin as the preeminent ragtime composer, published in 1899 and selling several hundred thousand copies in six months.（E）

(E) Published in 1899, “Maple Leaf Rag” was an instant hit, selling several hundred thousand copies in six months: it helped establish Scott Joplin as the preeminent ragtime composer.

想问一下 E 中的it 指代的是什么？是前面的句子“书销售很好"，还是就是指这本书？还有这里冒号的使用，是否; : 后都是完整的句子？

同意juan。it指代Maple Leaf Rag

Thanks

but the use of the " ;" is quite rare.........

d 的it应该没有指代问题.

请问E中：published in 1899 and selling several hundred thousand copies in six months.怎样改才是正确的？

当时选的觉得多平行的，是SELL只能用主动表被动吗？