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Heaven Is for Real Juggernaut Keeps on Rolling
Thomas Nelson recently marked some significant milestones for its wildly successful Heaven Is for Real, the account of a six-year-old boy’s near-death experience. Published in November 2010, the book has spent 69 weeks on the New York Times paperback bestsellers list and this past Sunday (Mar. 25) was once again at #1—the 57th time (non-consecutively) in that position. It has been on the Publishers Weekly trade paperback list for 65 weeks, at #1 more than 10 times in the past year. With 6.5 million copies in print, it’s the top-selling trade book in the history of Thomas Nelson, as well as the longest tenured at #1 on the bestseller lists. Heaven Is for Real for Kids, released this past November, has sold more than 500,000 copies worldwide.
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Catholic Education Congress Gives Publishers Maximum Exposure
With more than 200 speakers and 40,000 attendees, the Los Angeles Religious Education Congress offers a firsthand look at the diversity of people and opinions within the Catholic Church. But at this year’s congress, most publishers acknowledged at least one key commonality: an increase in sales. And in the midst of thousands of titles, it seems many readers are choosing to go back to basics. Several publishers stated that Bibles and scripture study resources were among their most popular products.
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Rowman & Littlefield Resurrecting Jason Aronson Judaica Line
At the Public Library Association conference, RBL learned that Rowman & Littlefield is reviving the Judaica line under its Jason Aronson imprint. R&L acquired Aronson in 2003 and continued to publish its Judaica backlist through 2008. The line went dormant until 2010 when Aronson publisher Julie Kirsh got a proposal for Surviving Your Bar/Bat Mitzvah: The Ultimate Insider’s Guide (Aug.). She was preparing for her own daughter’s bat mitzvah, and the book struck a chord.
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At Library Meeting, Religion Publishers Showcase Their Books
The Public Library Association conference, held March 13-17 in Philadelphia, Penn., played host not only to more than 6,000 librarians, but also to more than a dozen publishers of religion books, there to build awareness of their titles among attendees. In recent years, religion publishers have expressed the desire to reach the library market more effectively, and this biannual conference, as well as the larger annual ALA conventions, have become increasingly important places for them to exhibit and to interact with librarians.
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Conversations about Religion: PW’s Top 10: Religion
Feisal Abdul Rauf is familiar to much of the country as the imam behind the controversial proposal to build an Islamic community center near ground zero in lower Manhattan. Moving the Mountain: Beyond Ground Zero to a New Vision of Islam in America will likely stir some Islamophobes, but it is also likely to give the conversation about American Muslims a move forward in the direction of greater awareness. Those whose awareness of religious controversy is shaped by watching Comedy Central may recognize sometime Daily Show guest Bart Ehrman. The religion scholar that evangelical Christians love to debate offers a surprising argument for the historical existence of Jesus in Did Jesus Exist? Other illusions do, however, exist, chief among them Frank Peretti’s new novel. Illusion is the first novel in nearly seven years from the writer who invented Christian horror.
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New Books on Jesus Offer a Path to Easter Reflection
While in some sense every Christian book about Jesus, a number of new books put Christ front and center, examining his humanity, his suffering, his Jewishness, and his poetry. Any one is a candidate for reading and reflection during the Passion Week that precedes Easter, Christianity’s holiest day, occurring on April 8 this year. Our annotated listing offers five choices.
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Editor’s Note
The weeks before Easter are a traditional time for publishers to release new Bibles—for both adults and children—because they are a popular gift on that most joyful holy day for Christians. It’s also a time, not surprisingly, we see a plethora of books about Jesus, as he is front and center in the minds of believers. In this issue we highlight some of those books with an annotated listing. We also cover the release of another controversial book on archaeological discoveries that purport to add physical evidence for Jesus’ life on earth. Christian believers don’t need the evidence, but the controversy over the claims, believe them or not, is sure to sell some books.
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It Is Written: News in Bibles and Sacred Texts
Nelson and Zondervan partner on new MacArthur Study Bible; seminal Zen Buddhist text newly translated; in time for Easter, new Bibles for kids; Jimmy Carter’s study Bible taps his years teaching Sunday school; 21-day devotional app leads believers to Easter Sunday
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Same Old Same Old or New Evidence of Jesus?
A new book on archaeological findings by a controversial pair has sparked wide media coverage but elicited skepticism from archaeologists, who have generally dismissed the new claim as not-new sensationalism. The Jesus Discovery: The New Archaeological Find that Reveals the Birth of Christianity by scholar James Tabor and filmmaker Simcha Jacobovici (Simon & Schuster) was published yesterday (Feb. 28). It argues that evidence from ossuaries (bone boxes) newly excavated from a previously unopened tomb under a Jerusalem condominium--near what has been called “the Jesus Family Tomb,” first excavated in 1980--revive the possibility they are related to the family of Jesus.
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March 2012 Christian Bestsellers: Adult, Children's, Bibles
Musical chairs in the top 6 adult books; Real Marriage debuts at #7; Love & Respect is back; at #10, Zacharias asks Why Jesus?. In paperbacks, The Harbinger comes in at #2; the women join the men in a Resolution. A children’s book from Anne Graham Lotz; a new KJV Bible from Thomas Nelson.
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Short Takes
Catholic publishers recognize two; Tiffany windows go to Reno; personnel changes at Baker; Moody launches blogger review program; Episcopal Church site has resources for pastors; Nelson line reaches sales milestone; Rohr Prize awarded; strong pre-sales for a talking dog; ACFW launches new journal; IVP authors win biography prize; Munce show a success; talking about “Race & The Christian”; church campaign launching.
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Publisher Looking for Sales Bump from an Amish Moment
With a story in last Sunday’s (Feb. 26) New York Times about an Amish man charged in a Ponzi scheme that ensnared his own Plain Community; as well as last night’s (Feb. 28) PBS American Experience program on the Amish, publishers of books about the Amish are probably hoping for a boost in sales from media attention (whether positive or negative). At least one publisher has prepared for that hoped-for result.
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Religion in Review
Joy as a choice; a prayer for complete surrender; overcoming religious intolerance; tackling the problem of evil; plumbing The Power of Parable; a survey of the world’s sacred texts; for children: do pets go to heaven? and what five faiths share; compelling YA fantasy; how to cultivate love-consciousness; an Olympic athlete redeemed through a mother’s prayers; stories and songs from a mother and daughter; braiding the essences of the Abrahamic religions; a woman finds heaven by going through hell; plus Web exclusive reviews.
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Dinesh D’Souza: A New Look at an Old Problem
Dinesh D’Souza is no stranger to controversy. A bestselling author (What’s So Great About Christianity) and conservative speaker who served in the Reagan White House, his stances on race, President Obama, liberals, and 9/11 have raised many an eyebrow. His new book Godforsaken: Bad Things Happen. Is there a God who cares? Yes, here’s proof. (Tyndale, Mar.) is set to do the same. D’Souza tells Religion BookLine that in Godforsaken he attempts to address the age-old question of why God permits suffering and evil.
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Ronald J. Sider: Social and Spiritual Transformer
Forty years ago, says Ron Sider, not many evangelical Christians talked about the poor or about social justice, preferring instead to emphasize individual salvation and personal transformation. Thanks to his 22 books and numerous public appearances, all of this has changed. From his groundbreaking 1977 book, Rich Christians in an Age of Hunger: Moving from Affluence to Generosity, to his newest, Fixing the Moral Deficit: A Balanced Way to Balance the Budget, Sider’s has been a voice for evangelical engagement in social issues.
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Books for Caregivers Offer Advice and Inspiration
Tending to a loved one who is chronically ill or dying often leaves caregivers feeling overwhelmed or alone. Three new books seek to make the process less stressful and more fulfilling through practical tips, emotional support, and spiritual inspiration. Teaching someone how to listen, how to touch, and how to help someone make plans for the end of their life can significantly impact how the dying person experiences his or her final days, says one author.
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Zondervan Hopes to Ride the Lin Craze
As publishers buzz around Jeremy Lin, he apparently continues to turn down book deals to focus on his playing. Nonetheless, at least five unauthorized e-book bios are already on the market. One publisher hoping to be the first with a print book is Zondervan, which is publishing Linspired: The Remarkable Rise of Jeremy Lin in both adult and children’s versions in April. The book had its genesis last November, when Barbour published a collection of short bios of current players, including Lin, by sports writer Mike Yorkey. When Lin fever hit, Yorkey’s agent, Greg Johnson, approached Barbour about expanding the material into a stand-alone book. Barbour decided against the project, but allowed Johnson to approach other publishers with the idea, and Zondervan made the deal.
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Sizzle, Sizzle... Fizzle, Fizzle...
The more things change, the more they stay the same”—the old saw describes the state of Christian fiction in 2012. Try to spot inspirational fiction trends for spring, and you could get run over by an Amish buggy. But could the bonnet craze be cooling off? As PW looks at the category at the start of a new year, it appears the appetite for all things Lancaster County, while still healthy, may be spawning new, perhaps smaller, trends. Romance and the longing for a simpler life, along with nostalgia for the pioneer spirit, are fueling the imaginations of authors and the acquisitions of publishers.
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Building Buzz with Social Media
These days it doesn’t take long to change the face of marketing. According to Tom Dean, senior marketing director in the trade book division at Zondervan, “The game has changed dramatically in the past 18 to 24 months.” That change comes thanks to the power of social spaces that allow authors to interact with thousands of readers quickly and easily. Facebook, Twitter, blogging, and new avenues such as Pinterest put authors in direct contact with both established and potential fan bases.
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IN Profile
Robert Liparulo: Knocking Down a Wall
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