What makes a book popular?

[evangelist6589]

Certain books that I have no use for seem to be popular with evangelicals, while other books that I value and love get almost completely ignored. The book "Who are you to Judge" is one of the best books I have read, yet it has so little reviews on amazon and is almost completely ignored by everyone whom I recommend it too. This is just one example, as I have dozens of books I love, yet are ignored by many.

I know that writing ability does count a bit. Some authors get ignored because they are poor writers. I could nam a few names, but wont cause I may offend someone.

 

[glfredrick]

Some of it is marketing, some word of mouth, some is that the successful books are by popular authors and people read everything they write, or some strike a cord with people. Not sure that there is a single criteria.

I do agree with you that some of the best works out there barely ever get a read. Just the nature of the game.

There is another definition of "popular" that isn't precisely "popular" as in, widely circulated or read. The other version is that the book is targeted to the popular market instead of the more closely held theological market. Works written for a popular audience will probably not have the same level of detail, accuracy, or theological depth and often only brush over the high spots of any given issue unlike a true theological treatise where serious exegesis, specialized language, or point-counter-point of the theological realm.

Then there is the final sort of book in the Christian realm -- the ones written by professors and read only by students and that because they were forced upon them by a syllabus requirement. :smilewinkgrin:

 

[12strings]

Certain books that I have no use for seem to be popular with evangelicals, while other books that I value and love get almost completely ignored. The book "Who are you to Judge" is one of the best books I have read, yet it has so little reviews on amazon and is almost completely ignored by everyone whom I recommend it too. This is just one example, as I have dozens of books I love, yet are ignored by many.

I know that writing ability does count a bit. Some authors get ignored because they are poor writers. I could nam a few names, but wont cause I may offend someone.

regarding your last point...if there are authors who do not get widely read because they are poor writers, then you can mention as many as you want...because we probably haven't heard of them!! :laugh: