God the Bestseller

This gripping religious history traces how a teenage farm boy's 1916 spiritual awakening launched one of the most influential publishing careers of the twentieth century, ultimately shaping America's ongoing identity crisis as both a Christian nation and a pluralistic society. Through the lens of this pivotal editor's work, acclaimed religion scholar Stephen Prothero examines how two world wars ignited a national soul-searching that transformed the spiritual marketplace and created an unprecedented demand for books about God. The narrative captures a nation wrestling with its divided religious identity through the very books that became cultural touchstones.

Prothero masterfully connects personal biography with broader cultural shifts, revealing how one editor's vision helped mainstream religious publishing while documenting America's persistent struggle to define its soul. The book stands out for its sharp analysis of how spiritual seeking became commercial enterprise, offering fresh perspective on the roots of today's religious marketplace. Readers interested in the intersection of faith, commerce, and national identity will find this exploration of how God became a bestseller both illuminating and surprisingly relevant to contemporary religious debates.