What book with a two word title has sold over 5 billion copies?
Updated: Jan 13, 2022
Do you know the title of the best-selling book of all time?
I won’t keep you guessing.
It’s the Holy Bible. The HOLY BIBLE!
Of the dozens of versions of the Bible I've personally owned one thing has been consistent—the cover. It contains two words and a plain background.
How can a book with a plain cover and only two words sell over 5 billion copies worldwide?
I’ll tell you.
It's because people are drawn to its contents, not the cover!
Yes, it is important to have something to catch a reader’s eye, but it’s more important that you capture their attention and keep them glued to the pages as they read.
The contents of the Bible have transformed people, made them better human beings, and changed their life circumstances. The stories have moved them to tears, made them laugh, or inspired them to do more.
Many Christians and non-Christians alike visited the cities, villages, and countries mentioned in the Bible. They have walked the paths, climbed the mountains, toured the ruins, and entered the churches to see if they can feel the spirit of God more intimately because of the connection they have to the words within the cover. And, we all know someone who reminds us of the characters in the Bible. I can't tell you how many times I've heard a non-Christian person call someone else a Judas! Whether you go to church or not, you probably know what that means!
Okay, okay. It's easy to choose the Bible as an example, but what about A Tale of Two Cities? The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn? Did you know the second most popular book sold is called "Quotations from Chairman Mao Tse-Tung," and the original is a simple leather cover with raised lettering? Somehow it managed to sell 1.1 billion copies and is the second best-selling book of all time!
The point is, a pretty cover doesn't equate to a good book. It helps if you have a stunning cover and good content, but if anything is true, you should spend your money developing a book that people want to read, not use as decoration.