Another cover story that's propelling sales for a new bestseller is the dramatic September 30 Time cover about the biblical patriarch Abraham: "Muslims, Christians and Jews all claim him as their father. A new book explores the challenge of turning him into their peacemaker." Abraham: A Journey to the Heart of Three Faiths by Bruce S. Feiler was published by Morrow on September 17 with a 70,000-copy first print. (A starred PW review, which was accompanied by an interview with Feiler, called the book "a joy to read.") Interviews on Today and NPR's Talk of the Nations, plus Time's extensive report, have increased that number to 125,000 copies after nine printings. Feiler's currently on a 35-city cross-country tour that includes bookstore, synagogue and church appearances, along with lots of local media. His previous book, Walking the Bible, made four showings on PW's weekly lists last year and, in its combined hardcover and trade paper editions, enjoyed a 10-month tenure on our monthly Religion Bestseller charts.

With reporting by Dick Donahue