-
In Profile
Interviews with three religion writers.
-
Making It to 'The Daily Show'
As publishers prepare for the fireside reading season, they're counting on scholars to light a flame by bringing insights on religion to general audiences far removed from campus.
-
Bible Reference in the Electronic Age
Got questions about how to use turmeric, the mating habits of penguins, or why water still drips out of the faucet when it should come through the filter you've attached? If you're like the majority of the curious today, you'll turn to the Internet for answers.
-
Of Biblical Scholarship There Is No End
What could possibly be new about biblical scholarship? After all, "there's nothing new under the sun," according to Ecclesiastes—the biblical book, or guy, by that name. Or if you're reading that book in Hebrew, it's not Ecclesiastes but Qoheleth, so some English translations call him "the Preacher."
-
What Do Academic Religion Publishers See?
Publishers of scholarly religion books, in general, are in the same boat as all other publishers—dealing with the effects of the economic recession and wrestling with the promise and perils of the digital revolution.
-
Short Takes
Seyyed Hossein Nasr, professor of Islamic Studies at George Washington University, will be awarded Brandeis University’s second Joseph B. and Toby Gittler Prize on November 30.... Max Lucado (at left, with editors Karen Hill, on the left, and Liz Heaney) was feted at a surprise party in Nashville on September 13 to celebrate his 25 years in publishing.... Christianbook.com is launching eBooks, a new online store that will offer thousands of Christian e-books, and a free platform that operates in the browser of a computer, smartphone, or iPad.... Ingrum on board as FaithWords editor....First-ever Christian Store Day is October 23....
-
Religion Newswriters Meet in Denver; Books a Major Focus
This year's Religion Newswriters' conference in Denver boosted attendance since last year, as religion journalists met to learn and network. Many sessions centered on books, including, before the main conference, a full day on Bible translation as background for journalists leading up to the 400th anniversary of the King James translation next year and the update of the NIV translation, also due in 2011.
-
Editor's Note
Our readers know that book publishing has been among the businesses hit hard by the recession and by the uncertainty caused by technological changes. Things have been even tougher for journalists, as staff and pages shrink at magazines and, especially, newspapers. This year's Religion Newswriters conference, covered in this issue, brought some hopeful signs.
-
Religion in Review
Original RBL reviews of books coming in October include an analysis of 15th- and 16th-century images of saints by Robert Kiely; a reading of the Harry Potter books that sees them "affirming the central messages of Christianity" by Greg Garrett; Catherine Hart Weber's resource guide to living a flourishing life; notes from Catholic theologian Lawrence Cunningham; and Joel Rosenberg's latest novel, The Twelfth Imam. There is also a sneak peek at reviews coming in the October 11 issue of PW, including three starred reviews, of Philip Goldberg's American Veda: From Emerson and the Beatles to Yoga and Meditation--How Indian Spirituality Changed the West, Kate Braestrup's Beginner's Grace: Bringing Prayer to Life, and George C. Rable's God's Almost Chosen Peoples: A Religious History of the American Civil War.
-
The Cure for the Chronic Life: Book Uplifts Through Life's Lows
Deanna Favre, breast cancer survivor and wife of NFL quarterback Brett Favre, and Shane Stanford, a hemophiliac pastor who's HIV-positive, have co-written The Cure for the Chronic Life: Overcoming the Hopelessness That Holds You Back (Oct.). Abingdon plans a two-pronged promotion aimed at mainstream as well as Christian readers, believing its theme of dealing with chronic difficulties can resonate well beyond the publisher's usual base.
-
September 2010 Catholic Bestsellers
Mother Teresa tops the hardcover bestseller list, while guides are also in the top 10 (the Catechism, The Notre Dame Book of Prayer, The Jesuit Guide to (Almost) Everything); four C.S. Lewis titles are in the top 10 among paperbacks; and children's titles range from Who's Hiding? A Christmas Lift-the-Flap Book to Handbook for Today's Catholic Teen.
-
InProfile: Carol Johnson: Christian Fiction Comes Softly
Carol Johnson (at right, with Janette Oke, left) received a lifetime achievement award at the ACFW conference in Indianapolis for launching the category of Christian fiction in 1979 with the publication of Janette Oke's Love Comes Softly, and developing and advocating for it since. She talked to RBL there about the history of Christian fiction, her hopes for the category, and her current project, with her husband, after stepping down from full-time work at Bethany House.
-
Crowded Conference for Christian Fiction Writers
With Christian fiction making up 19% of sales, second only to Bibles, the American Christian Fiction Writers annual meeting in Indianapolis was packed, with almost 30% of its members showing up to attend workshops and meet with editors and agents. Sue Brower (at left), executive editor for fiction at Zondervan, was named editor of the year.
-
'PW Select' Is for Religion Publishing, Too
'PW Select,' our new quarterly supplement listing self-published titles, is for religion books as well as general trade, children’s, and comics and graphic novels. Launched by PWxyz president George W. Slowik Jr., the 'PW Select' registration site is now live and accepting submissions for the first supplement, which will appear in our year-end issue in December.
-
Religion in Review
Original RBL reviews include Lewis V. Baldwin's Never to Leave Us Alone: The Prayer Life of Martin Luther King Jr.; Joni Eareckson Tada's A Place of Healing: Wrestling with the Mysteries of Suffering, Pain, and God's Sovereignty; Hope Unseen: The Story of the U.S. Army's First Blind Active-Duty Officer by Capt. Scotty Smiley with Doug Crandall; George Weigel's The End and the Beginning: Pope John Paul II: The Victory of Freedom, the Last Years, the Legacy; Daniel White Hodge's The Soul of Hip Hop: Rims, Timbs and a Cultural Theology; and Beverly Lewis's The Thorn. A sneak peek at Religion Book Reviews coming in PW, September 13, includes Kosher Nation: Why More and More of America's Food Answers to a Higher Authority by Sue Fishkoff, Muhammad: A Story of the Last Prophet by Deepak Chopra, and the starred Spiritual Envy: An Agnostic's Quest by Michael Krasny.
-
Short Takes
News about authors from David C. Cook (Francis Chan), Revell (Mary Beth Chapman), Tyndale (Francine Rivers; Drew Brees), WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group (David Platt), as well as from publishers (Baker Publishing Group has acquired academic titles from Hendrickson Publishers; B&H Publishing Group has added Andreas Köstenberger to its B&H Academic editorial staff as director of acquisitions) and organizations (the American Academy of Religion announces awards; The Christian Trade Association International is holding a translation rights show in Romania, ahead of the 2010 Frankfurt Book Fair).
-
Sue Fishkoff: Kosher Isn't Just Jewish Anymore
Far more kosher food is sold in the U.S. than there are Orthodox Jews who require it. Sue Fishkoff (at left) investigates why, and what makes food kosher in Kosher Nation,.
-
Editor's Note, August 2010 Religion BookLine
In anticipation of the High Holy Days, in this issue of RBL we focus on Judaism, with a review of Sue Fishkoff's Kosher Nation and a profile of its author. We also feature the Jewish Publication Society's new Tagged Tanakh Web site.
-
Religion Publishers React to June AAP Numbers
AAP issued its June report last month, showing religion down by 22% in June and more than 7% for the year to date. An informal survey by RBL of publishers in the category turned up hopeful signs, as well as admissions, for most, that 2010 has not been a great year thus far. Dwight Baker (at left), president of Baker Publishing Group, was among the publishers canvassed.
-
21st-Century Tanakh Debuts
American Jews have been among the most enthusiastic adapters of the latest technology. Now comes a new Web site designed to serve as a collaborative platform for commentary on the Jewish Bible, or Tanakh. The Tagged Tanakh is the brainchild of the Jewish Publication Society.
Browse archive by date:
