HarperCollins triumphs in hotly-contested auction for former monk Jay Shetty's 'empowering' debut

HarperCollins has snapped up Think Like a Monk: Train Your Mind for Peace and Purpose Every Day by former monk and social media star Jay Shetty. 

Oli Malcolm, HarperNonFiction publishing strategy director, acquired UK and Commonwealth rights from Anna Carmichael at Abner Stein and James Levine at Levine Greenberg Rostan Literary Agency in a "hotly contested auction". 

HarperNonFiction will publish in the UK on 14th April 2020 alongside Simon & Schuster in the US and with its sister companies in India, Australia and New Zealand.

"In this inspiring, empowering book, Shetty draws on his time as a monk in the Vedic tradition to show us how we can clear the roadblocks to our potential and power. Drawing on ancient wisdom and his own rich experiences in the ashram, Think Like a Monk reveals how to overcome negative thoughts and habits, and access the calm and purpose that lie within all of us," said HarperCollins. "The lessons monks learn are profound but often abstract. Shetty transforms them into advice and exercises we can all apply to reduce stress, sharpen focus, improve relationships, identify our hidden abilities, increase self-discipline, and give the gifts we find in ourselves to the world. Shetty proves that everyone can—and should—think like a monk."

Shetty said: “I grew up in a family where you could become one of three things: a doctor, a lawyer, or a failure. My family was convinced I had chosen option three. Instead of attending my college graduation ceremony, I headed to India to become a monk, to meditate every day for 4- 8 hours and devote my life to helping others.”

After three years, one of his teachers told Shetty that he would have more impact on the world if he left the monk’s path to share his experience and wisdom with others. Heavily in debt, and with no recognisable skills on his resume, he moved back home to north London with his parents. Shetty reconnected with old school friends—many working for some of the world’s largest corporations—who were experiencing tremendous stress, pressure, and unhappiness, and they invited Shetty to coach them on wellbeing, purpose, and mindfulness.

Since then Shetty has become one of the world’s most popular influencers. In 2017, he was named in the Forbes magazine 30-under-30 for being a game-changer in the world of media. In 2018, he had the number one video on Facebook with over 360 million views. His social media following totals over 32 million, he has produced over 400 viral videos which have amassed more than 5 billion views, and his podcast, “On Purpose,” is consistently ranked the world’s number Health and Wellness podcast, said HarperCollins. 

“I’ve been so fortunate that I could bring the wisdom I learned as a monk to so many people through my videos, posts, and talks. But for a long time I’ve wanted to dive into that wisdom more deeply, to offer more detail, more insights. And I’ve heard from my audience that they want the same,” said Shetty. “A book is the perfect way to provide that deep insight, and I’m thrilled to be sharing this book with the world.”

Malcolm added: “It’s an immense privilege to be publishing Think Like a Monk by Jay Shetty onto the Thorsons list at HarperCollins, and it goes without saying this will be a hugely important book for us in the UK, in India and in many, many other international territories. Given the clarity of his vision, and the engagement of his colossal global following, it’s entirely appropriate that Jay will sit alongside some of the icons of this list including Paolo Coelho, Robin Sharma and Steve Biddulph.”