Special Report: Religion Update

As growth in religion continues to confound expectations and outpace every other category in publishing, PW decided to take a closer look at the action on the ground—consumer buying behavior. Our online survey this spring provided sometimes surprising answers to such questions as: What are people buying in religion/ spirituality? Who are these buyers? What life situations and issues motivate their purchases? What kinds of influence do religious leaders and media coverage—in both general and religious publications and broadcast media—have on which books they buy? Where do they prefer to shop, and why?

In this issue of Religion Update, we cover some of the highlights of our findings and examine how the study results line up with what publishers and booksellers are telling us. Together, the data and the day-to-day experiences and observations of those in the industry can provide some gathered wisdom about the future for this vital segment of publishing.

• High Times for Books on Faith
  In religion publishing, big questions plus big books and big stores yield growth.

• Where the Sales Are
  In Publishers of Christian children's books seek expansion in retail channels.

• In Profile
  Christian novelists take center stage.

• Books in Brief
  What’s new in series faith fiction.

• All Faiths Calendar
  Selected Observances for September and October.

• Case Study 1: Taking a Novel Approach
  In harmony and strife, Philip Gulley's books keep on selling.

• Case Study 2: The Power Of Wow
  Word-of-mouth and celebrity endorsements launched Eckhart Tolle to success.