Melville House Books

“The release of two books by author and motivational speaker James Arthur Ray has been postponed in the wake of three deaths that occurred after a sweat lodge ceremony he led this month in northern Arizona,” says an Associated Press wire story by Bob Christie. Ray’s publisher, Hyperion Books, announced yesterday that the paperback release of his last mega-seller, Harmonic Wealth, and that of his newest hardcover, The Seven Laws of True Wealth, both scheduled for December, would be delayed until “late winter.” But the publisher had no other comment.

Meanwhile authorities are still investigating what happened during the high-priced retreat. As the AP story recaps, “Between 55 and 65 people took part in the sweat lodge ceremony that was the highlight of the five-day program at a private retreat near Sedona. Interviews with participants and law enforcement officials paint a picture of a two-hour period ceremony that degenerated into chaos as people became sick but were encouraged by Ray to remain inside for the entire time.”

One participant says “Ray touted his new book at his retreat and asked everyone to buy multiple copies for family and friends so he could make the New York Times‘ best-seller list.”

Dennis Johnson is the founder of MobyLives, and the co-founder and co-publisher of Melville House.