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May 2012 Christian Bestsellers: Adult, Children’s, Young Adult, Bibles
Peretti’s Illusion cracks the top ten; another winner from Joyce Meyer; a new Kingsbury tops the paperback list; Not a Fan charts in paper now; reappearances for Brunstetter and Lewis. For kids, an Easter Bible from Thomas Nelson does well; Melody Carlson’s 2008 Easter book makes the list. In Bibles, The Story holds on to #1; American Bible Society’s value Bible debuts at #5.
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Religion in Review: April 2012
Reimagining Christian symbols for the postmodern age; the neuropsychology of enlightenment; critiquing partisan politics in the church; limning the difference between Islam and Islamism; celebrating Why Catholicism Matters; spiritual lessons from 44 shamans. For children, the inspiring story of Martín de Porres; in YA fiction, a tale of two sisters; a boy makes a friend who sees demons. Sneak Peeks from the May 14 PW: a moving account of a beloved man; predicting the Implosion of America; stars for a lively commentary on the Book of Ruth and for a sharp examination of morality in an antimoral world; plus a Web Exclusive review of a look at Buddhism’s influence in the post-war era.
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Short Takes
A new imprint for progressive Christian books; the first faith-based e-book on Jeremy Lin releases; Swedenborg names its third Bridge Book Awards winners; an award for best faith-based Web site is open for nominations; Eerdmans wins awards from the Academy of Parish Clergy; a new DVD series on the history of American Christianity features top scholar/authors; the Christian Small Publisher Book of the Year Awards are announced; a Tyndale author urges seminary leaders to teach environmental awareness; B&H hires two marketing strategists; a Harvest House veteran announces his retirement.
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Jonathan Merritt: Taking the Politics Out of Church
Jonathan Merritt grew up in the inner sanctum of the religious right. With a father (James Merritt) who held the presidency of the 16-million-member Southern Baptist Convention, the author got to know political power brokers such as Jerry Falwell from a young age. Yet rather than reap the spoils of his A-list connections, he’s taken them to task in A Faith of Our Own: Following Jesus Beyond the Culture Wars, lamenting how in his view churches, on the right and left alike, have been corrupted by embracing partisan politics. Merritt prescribes a more hands-off approach that puts spiritual and moral concerns ahead of partisan ones.
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Ann Voskamp: Farm Wife and Publishing Phenom
Ann Voskamp has six children; 600 acres in rural Ontario, Canada; 1,000 piglets she and her farmer husband raise; and a book that has sold 450,000 copies. One Thousand Gifts: A Dare to Live Fully Right Where You Are (Zondervan, 2011) is her first book. Voskamp’s own story may be at least as compelling as her book, a series of poetic reflections on her life, beginning with painful memories of the death of her young sister and ending in Paris in grateful communion with God.
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Mommies, Dear: for Mother’s Day, a Bouquet of Books
You’ve heard of soccer moms and tiger moms. Meet Writing Moms and their new books, in case you’re stuck for an idea for the mother(s) in your life or in case you think you’re the only mom screaming and running after her kid with a wooden spoon. There's counsel for realistic parenting and a careful choice of battles; reflections on finding the right daily rhythm; stories of a complicated family; and a program to teach kids basic life skills, delivered with humor.
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It Is Written: News in Bibles and Sacred Texts
Our Sunday Visitor is publishing its own Bible for the first time; it had previously published Bibles only in partnerships. The OSV New American Bible Revised Edition releases in November. Also in November, OSV is publishing the Saints Devotional Bible, edited by Bert Ghezzi. The Torah: A Beginner’s Guide by Joel S. Kaminsky and Joel N. Lohr (OneWorld, Nov. 2011) is among the newest titles in the Beginners Guide series from the publisher. It provides an entry-level approach to study and appreciation of the first five books of the Hebrew and Christian Bibles. The U.K. publisher’s books are distributed in the U.S. by NBN.
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Thomas Nelson Sees Sales Bump on Blue Like Jazz Movie Opening
The movie based on the bestselling book Blue Like Jazz: Nonreligious Thoughts on Christian Spirituality by Donald Miller (Thomas Nelson, 2003) opened April 13 in 55 cities. Said Brian Hampton, senior v-p and publisher for the nonfiction trade group at Thomas Nelson, “We’ve been tracking sales overall and regionally since the movie premiered. We are seeing significant sales increases on the original trade paperback and the movie edition, which released prior to the movie opening. Overall, we've seen a 75% increase.”
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Chuck Colson, 1931-2012
Watergate figure, prison minister, and author Chuck Colson died Saturday (April 21) at the age of 80. Colson became infamous as a creator of “dirty tricks” for Richard Nixon and for his role on the Committee to Re-elect the President as it put in motion actions that led to the burglary of the Democratic National Committee offices in 1972, and eventually to Nixon's resignation in August 1974. Before going to prison Colson became a born-again Christian; despite skepticism of the sincerity of his conversion, he went on to found Prison Fellowship and to write more than 20 books.
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Dalai Lama Wins Templeton Prize
The Dalai Lama has been awarded the 2012 Templeton Prize for Progress in Religion. Formal presentation of the prize will take place May 14 at St. Paul’s Cathedral in London.
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Editor’s Note
Thank God for libraries—that’s what religion publishers are saying these days, as places for readers to encounter their books have narrowed. Library sales are important in and of themselves, but libraries also are key places for readers to discover authors and their books (sometimes with the help of a knowledgeable librarian), and when they like what they read, they often decide to buy. That’s why the library conferences—PLA, ALA, and the many regional meetings—have drawn religion houses as exhibitors. In tough times, library patronage is up, and it seems even book lovers on a budget will find a way to the books they enjoy.
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It Is Written: News in Bibles and Sacred Texts
A Qur’an devotional from Kube; a new verse translation of The Bhagavad Gita from Norton; Nelson releases the complete The Voice Bible; Searchlight Press publishes another volume in its Latin Testament Project; The Action Bible New Testament is now out in paperback.
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Short Takes
Moses up as sales director at Harvest House; eChristian promotes Paschall to sales manager of eC Publishing Group; Humanist Press is focusing on e-books; Nelson and World Vision gather $540,000 in aid to Africa; Charisma House launches Passio imprint; Tyndale House forms Tyndale Momentum.
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April 2012 Christian Bestsellers: Adult, Children’s/YA, and Bibles
A new face from WaterBrook/Multnomah at #10 in hardcovers; a 2009 Sarah Young title makes the list; The Vow debuts at #2 on the paperback list; new fiction from Terri Blackstock at #9; Heaven Is for Real for Kids cracks the top ten in children’s, but Zondervan takes half the spots; Crossway makes the Bibles list at #4, The Story holds onto the top spot; the NIrV for Early Readers debuts at #6.
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Religion in Review
Two scholars argue that “every theology is inherently political”; how America got Bad Religion; examining faith through the lens of cognitive science; how to raise happy kids; what Scandal means in the Catholic Church; finding God in the light and in the dark; a prominent imam sees Islam beyond Ground Zero; has Christian youth ministry damaged the church?; psychotherapy as a spiritual endeavor; translating Swedenborg’s understandings of scripture for modern readers and doers; for children: picturing Our Lady of Guadalupe and the lost synagogues of Europe, YA fiction about life on the moon; plus Web-only reviews.
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E. Kent Rogers: Ask, and It Will Be Given
E. Kent Rogers has lived in the foothills of the Himalaya Mountains since 1999. A deep believer in meditation, nature, and prayer, he says “In Kathmandu, you can get out into nature and soak in the patterns of peace and beauty from God which patiently wait to bless us.” After graduating from Swedenborg-affiliated Bryn Athyn College, Rogers journeyed to Nepal to start the New Life Children’s Home orphanage. 12 Miracles of Spiritual Growth: A Path of Healing from the Gospels (Swedenborg Foundation Press, May; starred review in this issue), Rogers’s first book, is a non-denominational exploration of the spiritual message behind the healing miracles of Jesus and their application in everyday life.
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James Alexander Langteaux: Christian and Gay
It took eight years for James Alexander Langteaux to write his latest book, Gay Conversations with God: Straight Talk on Fanatics, Fags and the God Who Loves Us All (April, Findhorn Press), but the long process had nothing to do with writer’s block. “It was more due to fear,” Langteaux says. “I was angry and hurt and wounded by a lot of ignorance among Christians, and didn’t think I could be gay and a Christian.” In addition, as a senior producer for a Christian television network, he knew the book could put his job in jeopardy.
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E-books Provide Fast Platform for Ripped-from-the-Headlines Debates
Thanks to the nouveau magic of e-books, it’s never too late, or too early, to weigh in at mini-book length on this week’s headlines. No stranger to controversy, progressive evangelical author and former pastor Brian McLaren has penned three e-books that address this election year’s raucous collision of religion and politics. Word of the Lord To Democrats e-pubbed mid-March; comparable titles aimed at evangelicals and Republicans are due April 2 and April 16, respectively. And McLaren’s not alone. Also entering the religion and politics arena via e-book is Philadelphia Archbishop Charles Chaput. A Heart on Fire: Catholic Witness and the Next America (Image, Mar. 27) is an original e-book in which the Catholic prelate makes the case for “the disappearance of a Christian critical mass in American life” as part of his argument for present-day threats to religious liberty in America.
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New Books Highlight the Life-Changing Power of the Miraculous
Look out heaven, here come miracles. Books on the hereafter are still going strong on the bestseller lists. Now four new books tell the stories of lives that came crashing down but were saved by the power of the divine. From honor student to American Idol finalist, from mother of four to Hollywood washout, each one tells of the faith and strength that changes lives.
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Faith and Writing Fest Gearing Up
Preparations are well underway for the 2012 Festival of Faith and Writing, to be held April 19-21 at Calvin College in Grand Rapids, Mich. The biannual conference brings together writers, readers, editors, agents, and publishers who are interested in the intersections of faith and writing. Headliners from a roster of more than 60 featured writers include Marilynne Robinson (Gilead), Jonathan Safran Foer (Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close), and Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie (Half of a Yellow Sun).
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