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During the current hunkering-down time the world is in due to the ongoing pandemic, it seems more and more people are finding time for the simplicity of reading a book.

Carrie Underwood promoting her book, 'Find Your Path,' on 'The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon'
Carrie Underwood promoting her book, ‘Find Your Path,’ on ‘The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon’ | Janice Yi/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images

One book that’s seeing healthy sales recently is Carrie Underwood’s Find Your Path: Honor Your Body, Fuel Your Soul, and Get Strong with the Fit52 Life.

People just have more time to read

With more and more people home during the current global pandemic, many have found time to focus on forgotten projects or ignored tasks. Others simply want an earnest distraction from the despair and powerlessness felt in watching the relentless news from around the world. Reading books is making a comeback.

Marilyn Monroe with a book, 1955
Marilyn Monroe with a book, 1955 | Ed Feingersh/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images

Margaret Renkl, a contributing opinion writer for The New York Times, captured the emotions of so many this week in her op-ed, ‘The Pandemic Book Club.’

“During this pandemic,” she wrote, “I have found myself falling in love with books all over again, the way it’s possible to discover an entirely unexpected and wonderful aspect of your beloved, even decades after you first fell in love.”

“As distracted as I am in these darkening days, I have never felt more desperately the need to turn away from screens, the need to slow down and immerse myself not in breaking news but in the timelessness of the printed page.”

Carrie Underwood’s book and why it may be selling so well

Not only are millions finding more time to read; we’re also making time to snack on homemade cookies, baked goods, and cheesy casseroles. We’re supporting our local restaurants by ordering in their richest entrees and most indulgent desserts. In short, many, oh so many, are stress eating to forget what is really going on outside our homes.

And Underwood’s book may be offering readers the structure to get back on track in a small way.

She told Today in Mar. 2020, “[Fitness] is a passion of mine, and I’ve been falling more and more in love with it over the past 15 years really. People would say, ‘You should write a book,’ because I really love health and fitness, and I geek out over articles and trends and things like that, so we went for it just to see how it would turn out.”

The book features meal plans, recipes, weekly workout programs, and it offers readers something to look forward to and work towards.

Underwood’s isn’t the only better selling book

According to NPD BookScan, the “Before He Cheats” singer’s book is holding at No. 5 on the Top 50 list of best-selling books from all publishers.

Jessica Simpson’s memoir, Open Book, is also doing well at No. 8, and has caught the eye of many readers with her frank admissions regarding her dependence on alcohol in the past, her romantic relationships, and her career.

Another publication enjoying increased sales, according to the book sales tracker? It’s the Bible.

It seems readers at this moment simply want goals for the future, a diversion from the onslaught of discouraging news, and a reassurance that everything will be all right.

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