A book is physically light, but it is a condensation of the energy of many people―the author’s lifelong effort, the editor’s dedication and enthusiasm, the sales staff’s hard work, and the bookstore personnel’s care and attention. Then, of course, there is the critical participation of the reader, who may inspire yet new energy into the book. Every book we publish is the result of this involvement and commitment of energy.
With each season, the life expectancy of a book in the market has grown shorter and shorter. Sunmark, however, has not changed its policy of keeping its books available for readers for as long as possible, and this has resulted in many best-sellers and many long-sellers. Ikikata (or A Compass to Fulfillment―Passion and Spirituality in Life and Business), by Kazuo Inamori, the founder of Kyocera, is one such book. It was published in 2004, but is today even more popular than it was six years ago. Currently our sales figures are up to 1,000,000 copies in the world.
The fact is, among publishers in Japan, Sunmark ranks number one in the ratio of best-sellers to number of books published.
An Earth-Saving Revolution, issued in 1993, made a major impact on society with its introduction of the beneficial effects of effective microorganisms. This was followed in 1995 by the publication of A Great Revolution in the Brain World, which anticipated the widespread interest in the workings of the right brain. This title, published in two volumes, sold a total of 5.5 million copies, establishing a new record in the Japanese publishing industry. In 1998, our Japanese translation of the American best-seller Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff sold 2 million copies.
In 2002, The Hidden Messages in Water became a long-selling bestseller with sales exceeding 265,000 copies sold. Filled with photographs of frozen water crystals, the book soon found an international audience. In the United States, the English translation of the book found its way onto the New York Times best-seller list for 28 weeks!
In 2005, The Enzyme Factor, written by a renowned medical doctor with practices in both New York and Tokyo, offered new insight into human health. Book sales in Japan exceeded 1.7 million copies.
These are but a sample of Sunmark’s proud successes. It is a tradition that Sunmark promises to continue―publishing high-caliber best-sellers that inspire our readers with values that fill their lives with wonder and joy.Nobutaka Ueki, Publisher |
