Most Popular Book in Colonial America? The Bible

We hear how our Founders were not very religious people. We hear there is not really much of a Judeo-Christian heritage in the USA. But in an article on the National Archives' Exhibits, they cover the life of Benjamin Franklin. One aspect of Franklin that is famous is his combination of wit and wisdom. He published many of these thoughts in Poor Richard's Almanac. The archives says this:

He published The Pennsylvania Gazette (1730-48), which had been founded by another man in 1728, but his most successful literary venture was the annual Poor Richard 's Almanac (1733-58). It won a popularity in the colonies second only to the Bible, and its fame eventually spread to Europe.

So, while the Almanac was a very popular book, it was only 2nd in the heart of the colonists then. The MOST popular book was the Bible.

Read the article on the National Archives site: The Founding Fathers: Pennsylvania