By COLlive reporter
The new book about the Rebbe published by HarperCollins, one of the world’s largest publishing companies, is already a bestseller even before it was officially released.
One day before its launch, “Rebbe: The Life and Teachings of Menachem M. Schneerson, the Most Influential Rabbi in Modern History” is ranked #23 of the Top 100 on the Amazon Best Sellers list.
Written by bestselling author Joseph Telushkin, the book explores how the Rebbe revived and revolutionized the post-Holocaust Jewish community and changed the course of Jewish history with Chabad’s global outreach network in over a thousand towns, cities and campuses.
Dennis Prager, national talk show host and New York Times bestselling author who has written with Telushkin, called the book “One of the greatest religious biographies ever written. Generations from now, “Rebbe” will be read by people of every faith.”
On Sunday, COLlive posted on its Facebook page that the new book was 10 short from hitting the Top 100 list of Amazon. Many fans went on to encourage friends to pre-order the book at a 33% discount.
Thanks to a collective effort and growing interest in the wider Jewish world, within 3 hours the book had reached #80, then #45 on Monday morning, and as of 8:15 pm Eastern Time it is #23.
Another biographical book which is being released the same day, and winning national coverage and political buzz, is “Hard Choices” by Hillary Clinton, a possible Democratic presidential nominee in 2016.
Telushkin, noted as one of the most prolific writers on Judaism in the United States, appeared last night for a book launch at the Nessah Synagogue in Beverly Hills, the largest Persian congregation in the U.S.
In front of a full crowd, Telushkin discussed his new book with David Suissa, President of the Jewish Journal of Los Angeles and Rabbi Menachem Weiss, the assistant rabbi at Nessah Synagogue.
Another such event will be held on Thursday, June 12, at Cong. Kehilath Jeshurun in Manhattan. Telushkin will be flying to London in the end of June for a discussion with Israeli Ambassador Daniel Taub in an event co-sponsored by the Saatchi Shul, Jewish News, Kuperard and the London School of Jewish Studies.
But the positive reviews and growing sales had one unforeseen result. A discussion about the book scheduled for Tuesday, 5:30pm at the Hastings store in the DeVargas shopping mall in Santa Fe, New Mexico, will not be taking place, as local community members were notified that it is “postponed until further notice.”
“It seems that due to overwhelming book pre-orders, the book “Rebbe,” will not be in our local Hastings tomorrow,” the announcement said. “They will let us know when the event is rescheduled.”
UPDATE (Tuesday 3:29 AM):
Hours before its official launch, Amazon.com notified that the “Rebbe” book is “Temporarily out of stock.” The e-commerce company offers customers to continue ordering and “We’ll e-mail you with an estimated delivery date as soon as we have more information.”
The book is currently ranked #19 on Top 100 of Amazon Best Sellers.
UPDATE (Tuesday 12:18PM):
Amazon is now showing that the book “Usually ships within 2 to 5 weeks.” It is ranked #18 in the Top 100.
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The Rebbe would want this to serve as an effective hafatzah tool. Keep the sales climbing, people.
This is definitely the least impressive of the three recent Rebbe bios. It is very journalistic and fails to capture the Rebbe’s intellectual genius. Steinsaltz’s book is more inspiring. Miller’s book is quite simply the best of the bunch as it captures the Rebbe’s true brilliance and is the only one that is a proper chronological biography.
Rabbi Telushkin is a gradfuate of Yeshiva of Flatbush and Yeshiva University so I was surprised that he chose to write a biography of the Rebbe. Hope that the book will reach a widespread audience and have a positive influence on the readers.
Is this book available as an Audio Book?
All this dedication to the Rebbe and making a Kiddush Lubavitch is admirable. But then why not push the other two new books on the Rebbe to hit the top lists? And for that matter, the classic of all classics, Toward a Meaningful Life?
Can you post a new article on the book REBBE, since it has now topped in amazon religion and spirituality as NUMBER 1.
Also worthy of news is that it has reached number 5 in new releases and its within the 20 top in all bestsellers!
Went back to 18th in best sellers..
WAKE UP GUYS!!
This is a great way to make it in the news and chashuv!!
for the rebbe and chabad BUY BUY BUY
Evreybody who doest have the book, get it on amazon!
FOR THE REBBES KAVOD
Its now
Boruch Hashem now it #17
I’ve read a number of recent book on the Rebbe. Telushkin is bay far the most comprehensive and through. As #5 says, I also find him very credible.
Let’s get to #1 people!!!!
I read this book (got it in merkos meshulovin). Read it cover to cover with all footnotes. Telushkin did a masterful job in explaining and describing the Rebbe. Well researched, well documented and credible. He is not chabad and but modern orthodox and still mamaged to explain it well. I think he misses a lot when it comes to the rebbes nigla chidushim but overall, the book is the best ive seen. I’ve already recommended it to some of my freinds at work (I also gave a few as gifts to co workers before shevuos).
now #18!
I preordered it last month. Got an email from amazon that it’s already shipped and will be here wednesday, iyh.
I’m glad I did the preordered! Can’t wait!
Hamefitz has been selling them even before shaavos!!
There was a very warm feeling after the event. Rabbi Shofet, (the main Rabbi of Nessah) was there the entire time and seemed to really enjoy it. Surprisingly, there were very few Chabadnik’s there. Kudos to all who made it happen.