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Publishing industry

Chicken Soup for the Soul Wins American Booksellers Award

Strategic Insights

— 1 min read

Deerfield Beach, Fla., home to the headquarters of Health Communications, Inc., a publishing company that has had significant success with the Chicken Soup for the Soul book series. The company's collection of inspirational stories compiled by Jack Canfield and Mark Victor Hansen, has not only sold over 2 million copies but has also maintained its position as a #1 New York Times bestseller since January of this year. The authors, Health Communications, Inc., and the American Booksellers Association came together to celebrate the series' impact on millions of readers.

Key Takeaways:

  • Chicken Soup for the Soul: 101 Stories to Open the Heart and Rekindle the Spirit has been selected as the winner of the American Booksellers 1995 Book of the Year (ABBY) Award.
  • The book has sold over 2 million copies and has maintained its position as a #1 New York Times bestseller since January of this year.
  • The authors and their publisher, Health Communications, Inc., will donate the proceeds of the ABBY award to the Soup Kitchens for the Soul Project.
  • The project aims to help people in prisons, halfway houses, homeless shelters, battered women shelters, literacy programs, inner city schools, and other programs for at-risk adults and teenagers.
  • Health Communications, Inc. has already donated books to hospitals, churches, and the American Red Cross in Oklahoma City.
  • A sequel, A 2nd Helping of Chicken Soup for the Soul, has reached #4 on the New York Times list and #11 on USA Today, with over 1/2 million copies in print in just 3 weeks.

Statistics:

  • Over 2 million copies of Chicken Soup for the Soul have been sold.
  • The book has maintained its position as a #1 New York Times bestseller since January of this year.
  • 1/2 million copies of A 2nd Helping of Chicken Soup for the Soul were printed in just 3 weeks.
  • The book series has had a significant impact on millions of readers.

Sources:

  • PR Newswire, "Chicken Soup for the Soul: 101 Stories to Open the Heart and Rekindle the Spirit Wins American Booksellers 1995 Book of the Year Award" (May 2, 1995)
  • American Booksellers Association, "ABBY Award Winners Announced" (1995)

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