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  April 9, 2008
 
• BEHIND THE NEWS
  • New Imprint Lets in Fresh Air
  • Eldredge Embarks on First Book Tour
• SPOTLIGHT ON...New Year's Resolutions
  • Where Are They Now?
• RELIGION IN REVIEW
  • Four Reviews Coming in Publishers Weekly on Monday, April 28
  • Two Original RBL Reviews
  • Two Starred Reviews Coming in PW on Monday, April 28
• BESTSELLERS: Top Catholic Bestsellers for 2007
• COMING ATTRACTIONS
• HOW TO SUBSCRIBE/UNSUBSCRIBE
BEHIND THE NEWS
New Imprint Lets in Fresh Air
by Lynn Garrett
Upper Room Books, a division of Upper Room Ministries that primarily publishes nondenominational Protestant devotional books, is launching a new imprint, Fresh Air Books, which will offer "Christian books for non-churchy people." The first two titles—Compassion: Cultivating a Good Heart and Forgiveness: Offering Hope to a Wounded World, both compiled and introduced by Amy Lyles Wilson, are collections of articles and chapters originally published in the organization's several magazines and by Upper Room Books. The trade paperbacks also will include previously unpublished material and will be available in audio and e-book formats. Eventually the line will comprise nonfiction on the topics of adventure, biography, Christian spiritual practices, faith formation, culture and current affairs.

Kathleen Stephens, Fresh Air acquisitions editor, described the audience for these new books as "people who want to make a connection with God but feel very uncomfortable doing it through the church. They've been turned off, or perhaps never involved, and don't know how to find their way in—as one of our writers describes it, they've been turned off by the 'unapologetic dorkiness' of the church." Stephens says they hope to publish books that "will help people connect with a longing in their souls that they don't know how to fulfill. We hope to lead them to look beyond the surface of life."

Read the full story...
Eldredge Embarks on First Book Tour
by Lynn Garrett
It may come as a surprise, since his books have been fixtures on the bestseller lists since 2001, but John Eldredge—Wild at Heart; Captivating (with Stasi Eldredge)—has never done a book tour. That will change this month, as he sets out on an eight-city tour to promote his newest title, Walking With God: Talk to Him. Hear From Him. Really. (Thomas Nelson, April 15).

Why no tour until now? Said Rob Birkhead, v-p of marketing at Nelson, "Because he had success early in his career and didn't tour, he hadn't felt the need to do it. That hasn't changed; however, he's motivated now because the message of the new book isn't gender specific, which is what he has been known for. He's just really excited about talking to people directly about this message and changing the perception of his 'brand'." Birkhead added that Eldredge is "a real devoted family man" who doesn't want to be away from home any more than necessary. "And he's done these Bootcamp seminars in the Rockies four or five times a year, and has waiting lists for those. So people have been willing to come to him." 

Read the full story...
 
SPOTLIGHT ON...New Year's Resolutions
Where Are They Now?
by Juli Cragg Hilliard

It's not just you. A week ago, media chatter included references to "Fat Wednesday" (April 2)—when nutritionists say folks often bottom out midpoint between New Year's shape-up pledges and trying to buff up for summer.

What does that mean for sales of two major Christian diet books, both January releases? How have Perfect Weight America (Strang/Siloam), by Jordan Rubin with Bernard Bulwer, and Your Whole Life (Paraclete Press ), by Carol Showalter with Maggie Davis, done with those resolved to change their habits this year? Both publishers say they are pleased so far, but it's time to ramp up promotions again.

Jennifer Lynch, Paraclete marketing manager, said Your Whole Life, with a primary audience of women ages 35-65, is "definitely meeting projections" for sales. "The pattern is that there is a big sales focus in January," she said. "But, interestingly, March is also a big month." March is National Nutrition Month, and Lynch said churches are talking a lot about wellness.

Read the full story...
RELIGION IN REVIEW
Four Reviews Coming in Publishers Weekly on Monday, April 28
Surprised by God: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love Religion
Danya Ruttenberg. Beacon, $24.95 (256p) ISBN 978-0-8070-1068-6
In this memoir of her journey from punk-partying atheist teenager to rabbi-in-training (yarmulke and all), Ruttenberg chronicles the awakening and intensification of religious life.
READ FULL REVIEW
Zen Heart: Simple Advice for Living with Mindfulness and Compassion
Ezra Bayda. Shambhala, $21.95 paper (208p) ISBN 978-1-59030-543-0
This is a lovely book for advanced students of Buddhism. It won't do much for beginners, however, because it's simply too interior.
READ FULL REVIEW
Touched by God: Ten Monastic Journeys
Edited by Laurentia Johns. Continuum, $19.95 paper (248p) ISBN 978-0-86012-451-1
Anyone whose imagination has been captured by monastic life will find this collection of personal stories by 10 men and women living under the Rule of Benedict absorbing as well as enlightening.
READ FULL REVIEW
Standing in the Light: My Life as a Pantheist
Sharman Apt Russell. Basic Books, $25 (256p) ISBN 978-0-465-00517-8
Pantheism "is the belief that the universe.... is an interconnected whole that we can rightly consider sacred."
READ FULL REVIEW
Two Original RBL Reviews
When Your Family's Lost a Loved One: Finding Hope Together
David and Nancy Guthrie. Tyndale, $13.99 paper (192p) ISBN 978-1-58997-480-7
The Guthries are no strangers to grief: they have lost two of their three children to Zellweger Syndrome, a rare metabolic disorder. While they never wanted to become experts on grief, they have found through writing books (Holding on to Hope) and speaking to the bereaved around the country that their experiences of loss and devastation are all too common and all too often misunderstood. Readers who are in mourning want someone who has walked in their shoes, and in this book the Guthries provide not just their own experiences but also the wisdom of many others, whose thoughts are presented in Q&A interviews. The Guthries talk to grief counselors, psychiatrists, educators and most important, the bereaved to find out about grief and how to cope with it. The book tackles hard questions—why would God let this happen? Is it all right to take medication to deal with my grief and depression? How do I respond to the cluelessness of others? What is heaven? Can families really grow closer together after losing a loved one? How can I remember the loss, yet move on with life? The Guthries also provide extremely helpful chapters exploring the ways that men and women might grieve differently, and how parents can help their children deal with loss. This is an extraordinary book that will be of great value to families who are grieving. (May)
Rapture Ready!: Adventures in the Parallel Universe of Christian Pop Culture
Daniel Radosh. Scribner, $25 (320p) ISBN 978-0-7432-9770-7
Christian popular culture is a fast-growing and lucrative phenomenon in the United States, so much so that Radosh, a Jewish author and contributing editor at The Week magazine, took the time to research this complicated and fascinating world. The author's style is funny and direct, which helps the prose flow smoothly. He takes the reader on an amusing trek through the sometimes bizarre world of Christian popular culture, deftly critiquing it without being overly condescending. The author discovers that just about everything found in mainstream popular culture has a Christian counterpart: books, all forms of music, television shows, movies, comedy, skateboarding, and even wrestling. Radosh has the astute sense of a journalist and the evocative humor of a stand-up comic. He balances his rather skeptical perspective with respectful stories about the lives of people he encounters. The tension between being in the world and of the world, a common Christian challenge, is present throughout, and reminds all people of faith to question how tightly they wish to embrace popular culture. (Apr.)
Two Starred Reviews Coming in PW on Monday, April 28:
Love as a Way of Life: Seven Traits That Will Transform Your Relationships
Gary Chapman. Doubleday, $19.95 (272p) ISBN 978-0-385-51858-1
Chapman follows up his five-million-copy bestseller The Five Love Languages with this wise, heartfelt guide to cultivating seven traits that lead to loving relationships. Whereas his work on love languages explored the primary ways people give and receive love, this book explores the nitty-gritty of an entire "attitude of love," with chapters on kindness, patience, forgiveness, humility, courtesy, generosity and honesty. Each chapter includes quizzes, questions for reflection and ideas for applying that chapter's teachings. All self-help books run the risk of cliché, but Chapman manages to make tried-and-true material feel fresh through carefully chosen examples from his pastoral counseling practice and his own life. The chapter on forgiveness is especially powerful, as Chapman advocates forgiveness as a daily habit, not an occasional bequest. Although Christian faith provides the scaffolding for his program and a concluding chapter makes the need for God's help explicit, Chapman's judicious counsel can be implemented by people of many religious traditions. This book is head and shoulders above the bulk of self-help literature precisely because it is not about "self" so much as helping others. (July 15)
Journaling as a Spiritual Practice: Encountering God Through Attentive Writing
Helen Cepero. InterVarsity, $15 paper (160p) ISBN 978-0-8308-3519-5
According to Cepero, director of spiritual formation at North Park Theological Seminary, we come to know God more deeply by paying attention to our own reality, and in doing so, learn to "tune our hearts to hear God's transforming Word for us." In this lively, encouraging and pastoral book, Cepero shows readers how to journal in a way that moves past simple recitation of events, to writing that reveals God at work in a life. Brief chapters recommend areas to explore, including one's past and present story; suffering; hopes for the future; noticing God in daily life, and addressing the past. Cepero teaches strategies and techniques throughout with examples from journals and her own experiences. She also provides suggested exercises to help writers find focus, particularly beginners or those who feel stuck with their writing. An especially insightful chapter explores how physical movement or exercise frees the mind and spirit to write. Finally, Cepero suggests ways to cope with common barriers to journaling, including our inner critics and censors. An appendix includes helpful guidelines for group journaling. (July)
BESTSELLERS: Top Catholic Bestsellers for 2007
Hardcovers
  1. Mother Teresa: Come Be My Light
    Mother Teresa with Brian Kolodiejchuk. Doubleday
  2. Jesus of Nazareth
    Pope Benedict XVI. Doubleday
  3. Religious Literacy
    Stephen Prothero. HarperOne
  4. Celebration of Discipline, 25th Anniversary Edition
    Richard Foster. HarperOne
  5. Catechism of the Catholic Church
    Doubleday/Our Sunday Visitor/USCCB Publishing
  6. Perfectly Yourself
    Matthew Kelly. Beacon Publishing/Ballantine Books
  7. The Rhythm of Life
    Matthew Kelly. Beacon/Fireside
  8. A Book of Hours
    Thomas Merton & Kathleen Deignan. Ave Maria Press
  9. The Apostles
    Pope Benedict XVI. Our Sunday Visitor
  10. Amazing Grace
    Eric Metaxas. HarperOne

Paperbacks

  1. Catechism of the Catholic Church
    Doubleday/Our Sunday Visitor/USCCB Publishing
  2. Mere Christianity
    C.S. Lewis. Harper San Francisco
  3. The Screwtape Letters
    C.S. Lewis. Harper San Francisco
  4. United States Catholic Catechism for Adults
    USCCB Publishing
  5. The Great Divorce
    C.S. Lewis. Harper San Francisco
  6. The Handbook for Today's Catholic
    A Redemptorist Pastoral Publication. Liguori
  7. Compendium of the Catechism of the Catholic Church
    Libreria Editrice Vaticana, USCCB Publishing
  8. Sacrament of Charity
    Pope Benedict XVI,. Pauline/USCCB Publishing
  9. Good News About Sex & Marriage
    Christopher West. Servant Books
  10. Return of the Prodigal Son
    Henri J.M. Nouwen. Doubleday
© 2008 Catholic Book Publishers Association, Inc.
 
 
 
 
COMING ATTRACTIONS
Look for the next issue of Religion BookLine on April 23, when we’ll have a report on the Calvin Festival of Faith and Writing.
 

PW Religion BookLine from Publishers Weekly
Editors: Lynn Garrett (lgarrett@reedbusiness.com);
Daisy Maryles (dmaryles@reedbusiness.com)
Contributing Editor: Jana Riess

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