Swedish YouTube star PewDiePie, also known as Felix Kjellberg in real life, is about to publish a book, and he hopes the 37 million followers of his gaming channel will lay their money down for it.
Titled This Book Loves You, PewDiePie's magnum opus will be published by Razorbill, a subsidiary of major publishing outfit Penguin Random House, and will be distributed in paperback and e-book forms.
The book, which doesn't come out until October 20, banks on the same kind of exaggerated humor found in PewDiePie's YouTube videos and provides a parody of the self-help industry. In the book's Amazon page, its description says it is 256 pages of "beautifully illustrated inspirational sayings by which you should live your life." Some of PewDiePie's featured words of wisdom include "You can never fail if you never try" and "Don't be yourself. Be a pizza. Everyone loves pizza."
"Razorbill and Penguin U.S. are excited to bring the words of PewDiePie to the American people in book form," says Ben Schrank, president and publisher of Razorbill, in a statement sent to the L.A. Times. "And with more subscribers than Taylor Swift and One Direction combined, Felix is without question one of the most influential stars of this generation."
PewDiePie says his book will be "a great chance for me to reach my audience in a new way." And for sure, his legions of YouTube subscribers, whom he calls "bros," are not about to let him down. The promotional video for the book, which was only posted last week, has garnered more than 2.6 million views. Already, PewDiePie's bros are promising to buy "all the copies" of his book "no matter what."
And, in fact, a lot of his fans are already laying down their money to preorder "This Book Loves You" and receive their copy as soon as it launches in October. On Amazon's Teen & Young Adult Hobbies & Games, the book has already soared to the top of the category even though it does not become available in four months. Those who would like to make sure they receive their paperback copy can also preorder the book for $10.64.
PewDiePie is not the first YouTube star to take advantage of his online stardom to launch his career in the book publishing industry. Most recently, YouTuber Mamrie Hart's "You Deserve a Drink" debuted as a bestseller in May, following in the footsteps of Shane Dawson, who has more than 12.5 million subscribers across his three channels, bestselling essay collection "I Hate Myselfie," which its publisher Atria claims to be the best first week for a book written by a YouTube star.
