Comments on: Top 10 Most Read Books in the World http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/justintaylor/2012/05/04/top-10-most-read-books-in-the-world/ Between Two Worlds Thu, 20 Jun 2013 00:23:38 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: Latest Links http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/justintaylor/2012/05/04/top-10-most-read-books-in-the-world/#comment-99895 Latest Links Tue, 15 May 2012 16:54:48 +0000 http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/justintaylor/?p=21953#comment-99895 [...] Top 10 Most Read Books in the World [...] [...] Top 10 Most Read Books in the World [...]

]]> By: The Bible: Still Both the All-Time and Current Bestseller « Thinking Out Loud http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/justintaylor/2012/05/04/top-10-most-read-books-in-the-world/#comment-99851 The Bible: Still Both the All-Time and Current Bestseller « Thinking Out Loud Sun, 13 May 2012 11:51:10 +0000 http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/justintaylor/?p=21953#comment-99851 [...] is from Jared Fanning; found at Blogging Theologically and originally sourced at Justin Taylor whose version allows you to zoom in on the [...] [...] is from Jared Fanning; found at Blogging Theologically and originally sourced at Justin Taylor whose version allows you to zoom in on the [...]

]]> By: Jessica A. Kent http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/justintaylor/2012/05/04/top-10-most-read-books-in-the-world/#comment-99756 Jessica A. Kent Fri, 11 May 2012 13:33:12 +0000 http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/justintaylor/?p=21953#comment-99756 I agree. When I first saw it, I thought, "This post that has gone viral based its information on a Squidoo page??" I agree. When I first saw it, I thought, “This post that has gone viral based its information on a Squidoo page??”

]]> By: Världens tio mest lästa böcker | Malin Johansson – skriver mycket, läser mer. http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/justintaylor/2012/05/04/top-10-most-read-books-in-the-world/#comment-99699 Världens tio mest lästa böcker | Malin Johansson – skriver mycket, läser mer. Thu, 10 May 2012 08:36:49 +0000 http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/justintaylor/?p=21953#comment-99699 [...] tio mest lästa böcker, eller tio mest sålda egentligen, är enligt den här listan [...] [...] tio mest lästa böcker, eller tio mest sålda egentligen, är enligt den här listan [...]

]]> By: Top Ten Most Read Books in the World « Allsufficientgrace http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/justintaylor/2012/05/04/top-10-most-read-books-in-the-world/#comment-99694 Top Ten Most Read Books in the World « Allsufficientgrace Thu, 10 May 2012 02:37:59 +0000 http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/justintaylor/?p=21953#comment-99694 [...] Justin Taylor Rate this: Share this:TwitterFacebookMoreStumbleUponDiggRedditEmailPrintLike this:LikeBe the first [...] [...] Justin Taylor Rate this: Share this:TwitterFacebookMoreStumbleUponDiggRedditEmailPrintLike this:LikeBe the first [...]

]]> By: Top Ten Most Read Books Worldwide « Christian Book Shop Talk http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/justintaylor/2012/05/04/top-10-most-read-books-in-the-world/#comment-99645 Top Ten Most Read Books Worldwide « Christian Book Shop Talk Wed, 09 May 2012 14:14:57 +0000 http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/justintaylor/?p=21953#comment-99645 [...] is from Jared Fanning; we found it at Blogging Theologically (who got it from Justin Taylor whose version allows you to zoom in on the [...] [...] is from Jared Fanning; we found it at Blogging Theologically (who got it from Justin Taylor whose version allows you to zoom in on the [...]

]]> By: Heather E. Carrillo http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/justintaylor/2012/05/04/top-10-most-read-books-in-the-world/#comment-99634 Heather E. Carrillo Tue, 08 May 2012 22:39:53 +0000 http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/justintaylor/?p=21953#comment-99634 How very interesting. How very interesting.

]]> By: Adam Hawkins http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/justintaylor/2012/05/04/top-10-most-read-books-in-the-world/#comment-99626 Adam Hawkins Tue, 08 May 2012 18:01:21 +0000 http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/justintaylor/?p=21953#comment-99626 I wonder if the Bible would be that thin if it were that tall? Sorry I couldn't help myself. Cool graph, even if the stats are wrong. I wonder if the Bible would be that thin if it were that tall? Sorry I couldn’t help myself. Cool graph, even if the stats are wrong.

]]> By: Tom http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/justintaylor/2012/05/04/top-10-most-read-books-in-the-world/#comment-99609 Tom Mon, 07 May 2012 21:06:04 +0000 http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/justintaylor/?p=21953#comment-99609 There's a reason Moby Dick isn't read... and that's coming from someone who has read it. There’s a reason Moby Dick isn’t read… and that’s coming from someone who has read it.

]]> By: Os 10 livros mais vendidos no mundo! | assembleiano.com.br http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/justintaylor/2012/05/04/top-10-most-read-books-in-the-world/#comment-99598 Os 10 livros mais vendidos no mundo! | assembleiano.com.br Mon, 07 May 2012 13:13:22 +0000 http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/justintaylor/?p=21953#comment-99598 [...] segue um gráfico interessante que vi no blog do teólogo Justin Taylor. Vemos o “Top 10″ dos livros mais lidos no mundo. O quadro é baseado nos títulos [...] [...] segue um gráfico interessante que vi no blog do teólogo Justin Taylor. Vemos o “Top 10″ dos livros mais lidos no mundo. O quadro é baseado nos títulos [...]

]]> By: Joe http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/justintaylor/2012/05/04/top-10-most-read-books-in-the-world/#comment-99584 Joe Sun, 06 May 2012 17:33:40 +0000 http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/justintaylor/?p=21953#comment-99584 Anyone who thinks LOR is one of the most read books is kiddng themselves. It is like Moby Dick. Thick, impressive, and quite unread by most. Anyone who thinks LOR is one of the most read books is kiddng themselves. It is like Moby Dick. Thick, impressive, and quite unread by most.

]]> By: Brian C http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/justintaylor/2012/05/04/top-10-most-read-books-in-the-world/#comment-99582 Brian C Sun, 06 May 2012 14:16:08 +0000 http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/justintaylor/?p=21953#comment-99582 A wholly imcomplete bookshelf and analysis. A wholly imcomplete bookshelf and analysis.

]]> By: Joe Torres http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/justintaylor/2012/05/04/top-10-most-read-books-in-the-world/#comment-99573 Joe Torres Sat, 05 May 2012 19:00:55 +0000 http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/justintaylor/?p=21953#comment-99573 I wish this list were a bit more helpful. As some have noted, at least 3 of those "books" aren't single volumes at at, but rather collections of several books. I suppose the logic of the graph is if someone bought the first of the series then they proceeded to buy them all (making the sale of any volume in the series roughly equivalent). Of course, that's not really true, many people read the first of a series and give up. It's probably more true once they've completed the second volume. Also, in terms of sales, it's no surprise (or at least it shouldn't be) that many, Many, MANY more Bibles are purchased than actually read. Sadly, when we compare how many Bibles are being read to how many are selling, the numbers will turn out to be drastically different. I wish this list were a bit more helpful. As some have noted, at least 3 of those “books” aren’t single volumes at at, but rather collections of several books. I suppose the logic of the graph is if someone bought the first of the series then they proceeded to buy them all (making the sale of any volume in the series roughly equivalent). Of course, that’s not really true, many people read the first of a series and give up. It’s probably more true once they’ve completed the second volume.

Also, in terms of sales, it’s no surprise (or at least it shouldn’t be) that many, Many, MANY more Bibles are purchased than actually read. Sadly, when we compare how many Bibles are being read to how many are selling, the numbers will turn out to be drastically different.

]]> By: Casey http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/justintaylor/2012/05/04/top-10-most-read-books-in-the-world/#comment-99572 Casey Sat, 05 May 2012 18:48:20 +0000 http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/justintaylor/?p=21953#comment-99572 What?!? No Joyce Meyer! This is an outrage...or a Battlefield of the Mind. jk jk. Relax and laugh a bit. What?!? No Joyce Meyer!

This is an outrage…or a Battlefield of the Mind.

jk jk. Relax and laugh a bit.

]]> By: DaveSchell http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/justintaylor/2012/05/04/top-10-most-read-books-in-the-world/#comment-99571 DaveSchell Sat, 05 May 2012 17:43:54 +0000 http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/justintaylor/?p=21953#comment-99571 The Bible is often referred to as the most-owned but least-read book in America. The Bible is often referred to as the most-owned but least-read book in America.

]]> By: Ben Woodward http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/justintaylor/2012/05/04/top-10-most-read-books-in-the-world/#comment-99569 Ben Woodward Sat, 05 May 2012 15:06:16 +0000 http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/justintaylor/?p=21953#comment-99569 Yeah, I was wondering the same thing. I think the info sources for this graph are really dubious. 1) "Jeremy" made this graph which appears to get all its information from ... 2) an author named "James Chapman" who apparently writes and sells books about making money at home (among other things). Chapman posts his article "after doing a lot of research...", but it contains no citations and looks to me more like one like advertisement and attempts to get "click-through" credits to Amazon. Other sources suggest these numbers are not accurate and so I don't think this is really a helpful tool, sadly. Moreover, as others have mentioned, "most read" is not an accurate title when the "data" is acually about "printed and sold" copies. I would love to see a well-researched graph on this, but as Wikipedia states, counting the publishing of religious texts is incedibily difficult because there are so many publishers and many copies are simply given away. Yeah, I was wondering the same thing. I think the info sources for this graph are really dubious.
1) “Jeremy” made this graph which appears to get all its information from …
2) an author named “James Chapman” who apparently writes and sells books about making money at home (among other things). Chapman posts his article “after doing a lot of research…”, but it contains no citations and looks to me more like one like advertisement and attempts to get “click-through” credits to Amazon.

Other sources suggest these numbers are not accurate and so I don’t think this is really a helpful tool, sadly. Moreover, as others have mentioned, “most read” is not an accurate title when the “data” is acually about “printed and sold” copies. I would love to see a well-researched graph on this, but as Wikipedia states, counting the publishing of religious texts is incedibily difficult because there are so many publishers and many copies are simply given away.

]]> By: Brian http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/justintaylor/2012/05/04/top-10-most-read-books-in-the-world/#comment-99566 Brian Sat, 05 May 2012 13:29:44 +0000 http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/justintaylor/?p=21953#comment-99566 Surely the Koran must be there somewhere. Surely the Koran must be there somewhere.

]]> By: JK http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/justintaylor/2012/05/04/top-10-most-read-books-in-the-world/#comment-99565 JK Sat, 05 May 2012 12:57:57 +0000 http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/justintaylor/?p=21953#comment-99565 While I'm grateful that the Word of God is sold so many times, I think the stats might be a little inflated. In the last 2 years, I've bought about 5 bibles (for our family and friends). I would guess that only 1 of them was actually read cover to cover. All the rest are simply sitting on shelves. I know I'm just one example, but I'm sure there are *many* people who bought Bibles in the past 50 years which were never read. (Think of all the celebrations where people are given Bibles - youth groups, graduations, marriages. Not all of those folks are going to read them) While I’m grateful that the Word of God is sold so many times, I think the stats might be a little inflated. In the last 2 years, I’ve bought about 5 bibles (for our family and friends). I would guess that only 1 of them was actually read cover to cover. All the rest are simply sitting on shelves.

I know I’m just one example, but I’m sure there are *many* people who bought Bibles in the past 50 years which were never read. (Think of all the celebrations where people are given Bibles – youth groups, graduations, marriages. Not all of those folks are going to read them)

]]> By: SLIMJIM http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/justintaylor/2012/05/04/top-10-most-read-books-in-the-world/#comment-99560 SLIMJIM Sat, 05 May 2012 07:49:39 +0000 http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/justintaylor/?p=21953#comment-99560 Wow, puts things in a little more perspective Wow, puts things in a little more perspective

]]> By: Ben Woodward http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/justintaylor/2012/05/04/top-10-most-read-books-in-the-world/#comment-99554 Ben Woodward Sat, 05 May 2012 03:31:04 +0000 http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/justintaylor/?p=21953#comment-99554 The graph is a tad confusing because the baseline really begins "up the spine" of the books such that most of the books on the shelf only have a sliver of a bar showing the number of sales in comparison to the Bible. On first glance I was astounded that "Twilight", in just a few years (right?), appeared to have sold almost half the number of Bibles in the past 50 years. Looking again at the baseline (and the numbers) clarifies that graph: the Bible outsells all other books by an incredible margin. It's a handsome visual, but doesn't communicate the drastic difference as much as another format could have. Or maybe I'm just slow on the uptake.... Now to reading it.... may we be men and women of this "one book" - knowing it deeply and being conformed to God's will through it! and Justin... would the ESV, in all its printed formats, make it onto this graph by ITSELF? The graph is a tad confusing because the baseline really begins “up the spine” of the books such that most of the books on the shelf only have a sliver of a bar showing the number of sales in comparison to the Bible. On first glance I was astounded that “Twilight”, in just a few years (right?), appeared to have sold almost half the number of Bibles in the past 50 years. Looking again at the baseline (and the numbers) clarifies that graph: the Bible outsells all other books by an incredible margin. It’s a handsome visual, but doesn’t communicate the drastic difference as much as another format could have. Or maybe I’m just slow on the uptake….

Now to reading it…. may we be men and women of this “one book” – knowing it deeply and being conformed to God’s will through it!

and Justin… would the ESV, in all its printed formats, make it onto this graph by ITSELF?

]]> By: Steve, Winnipeg, Canada http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/justintaylor/2012/05/04/top-10-most-read-books-in-the-world/#comment-99553 Steve, Winnipeg, Canada Sat, 05 May 2012 03:19:09 +0000 http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/justintaylor/?p=21953#comment-99553 Interesting. I automatically assume that other religions have similar relationships to their texts as Christians do to the Bible. I could stand to learn some more. Then again, maybe not too many Christians read their Bibles either. Thanks Kyle. Interesting. I automatically assume that other religions have similar relationships to their texts as Christians do to the Bible. I could stand to learn some more.

Then again, maybe not too many Christians read their Bibles either.

Thanks Kyle.

]]> By: Kyle http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/justintaylor/2012/05/04/top-10-most-read-books-in-the-world/#comment-99551 Kyle Sat, 05 May 2012 00:50:10 +0000 http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/justintaylor/?p=21953#comment-99551 Steve, I live in a city that is under 3% Christian and well over 50% Muslim, yet expect that Bibles outnumber Qurans. Most people don't have them in their homes, and evenif they did are unable to read the high level Arabic in them, Steve,
I live in a city that is under 3% Christian and well over 50% Muslim, yet expect that Bibles outnumber Qurans. Most people don’t have them in their homes, and evenif they did are unable to read the high level Arabic in them,

]]> By: Wade http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/justintaylor/2012/05/04/top-10-most-read-books-in-the-world/#comment-99548 Wade Fri, 04 May 2012 23:14:03 +0000 http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/justintaylor/?p=21953#comment-99548 The book by Moa Tse-Tung, is there an option not to buy that book in North Korea? The book by Moa Tse-Tung, is there an option not to buy that book in North Korea?

]]> By: Doug Hibbard http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/justintaylor/2012/05/04/top-10-most-read-books-in-the-world/#comment-99545 Doug Hibbard Fri, 04 May 2012 22:31:14 +0000 http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/justintaylor/?p=21953#comment-99545 Curious, not that I expect you to know, but how do you count "Harry Potter," "Twilight," and "Lord of the Rings" on this? These are series, so are we talking each individual sale? How many sets of 7 for old HP or 3 for LOTR? Really just a curiosity question more than anything else. Curious, not that I expect you to know, but how do you count “Harry Potter,” “Twilight,” and “Lord of the Rings” on this? These are series, so are we talking each individual sale? How many sets of 7 for old HP or 3 for LOTR?

Really just a curiosity question more than anything else.

]]> By: Steve, Winnipeg, Canada http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/justintaylor/2012/05/04/top-10-most-read-books-in-the-world/#comment-99542 Steve, Winnipeg, Canada Fri, 04 May 2012 22:06:06 +0000 http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/justintaylor/?p=21953#comment-99542 No Qu'ran? No Qu’ran?

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