What about Women?

Astute readers of this blog will have noticed that there are no women in the Authors Who Sell Well list previously published, yet there are three women in the Authors Who Don’t Sell Well list. This may concern some of you. It concerned the feminists here in the store, the ones who carefully count how women are represented in each “X People From Christian History” book we stock. If you look at the writings of the saints, or saints’ lives, that is a place where women clearly outsell men at Crux. Which women? I’m glad you asked, here’s a list:

1. Julian of Norwich
2. Catherine of Siena
3. Hildegarde of Bingen
4. Teresa of Avila
5. Mother Teresa of Calcuta
6. Therese of Lisieux

Of course, Francis of Assisi has been getting a lot of press and increased book sales since Francis I became pope. But none of the other male saints get the sales of the holy women.

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Famous Authors Who Don’t Sell At Crux

Crux is a theological bookstore, which has served the Toronto School of Theology for years. The number of Christian bookstores in downtown Toronto has been shrinking for many years, and we are the last ones standing. We have lots of new customers coming into the store all the time. Sometimes new customers are surprised by what we do and do not carry. Like most bookstores, we order books based on our experience of what sells. Here are two lists for you to consider — 8 authors who do not sell at Crux, and 8 authors who sell very well at Crux. We draw no conclusions, but you can, if you’d like.

Eight Authors Who Do NOT Sell Well at Crux (alphabetically listed):

1. Billy Graham
2. Tim LaHaye
3. Beverly Lewis
4. Anne Graham Lotz
5. Max Lucado
6. Martin Luther
7. Joyce Meyer
8. Tullian Tchividjian

Eight Authors Who Sell Very Well Indeed at Crux (alphabetically again):

1. G.K. Chesterton
2. Pope Francis I
3. Tim Keller
4. C.S. Lewis
5. Henri Nouwen
6. J.I. Packer
7. John R.W. Stott
8. N.T. Wright

 

June Staff Picks Continued

June staff picks are random books for random travels. So far Carolyn has suggested a little time travel to encounter a bear and a monk in the middle ages and Sheila sent us off to China with Hudson Taylor. Here are some more random travels:

Cindy’s Pick: Cindy is the store manager. For summer travel and reflection she suggests a  nice travel journal.

Even if your only trip is around the block, summer is a good time to reestablish the discipline of keeping a journal.

Alain’s Pick: Alain is our resident classicist, about to leave us for advanced degrees in Texas. His pick is a work of literary criticism that takes us into a poem about Eden and the fall.

A Preface To Paradise Lost by C.S. Lewis

Dr. Heather’s Pick:

Dr. Heather has also chosen a work of literary criticism by Lewis. This one takes us into the world of books more generally. It looks at what makes a book worth reading and re-reading and suggests new ways of evaluating works of art, particularly works of literature.

An Experiment in Criticism by C.S. Lewis

June Staff Picks: Random Books for Random Travels

Our June staff picks don’t have a theme. It is kind of a random month in the store. We are getting ready for inventory, there’s construction next door that had been rattling our windows and bones, and the weather in Toronto has been pretty random as well. Those are the reasons for our randomness. Without further ado, here are the first two random selections:

Sheila’s Pick: Sheila is our resident classicist turned theologian. She’s really into Patristics, which should surprise no one. Sheila’s pick of the month is

Hudson Taylor’s Spiritual Secret by Dr. and Mrs. Howard Taylor

This is a classic biography of a missionary to China. Sheila reminds us that we need to read good Christian biographies to be challenged in our life of faith.

Carolyn’s Pick: Carolyn is our resident philosopher. She grew up in B.C. which may explain her affinity for bears. Carolyn’s June pick is:

Carolyn says “You don’t need to have small people in your life to find yourself completely entranced by this children’s story. Working from an obscure 12th century reference to a manuscript being eaten by a bear, the author creates a charming story about life in the world of medieval monastic libraries. This is a simple, beautifully illustrated tale for book-lovers of all ages.”

Happy reading!