Dame Deborah James’ book breaks record and tops charts after posthumous release-Mel Evans-Entertainment – Metro

Dame Deborah’s book has gone to number one, two months after her death (Picture: Instagram)

Dame Deborah James’ has broken 2022 records and topped the book charts with her posthumously published How to Live When You Could Be Dead.

The book debuted at number one in the UK after it sold 40,878 copies following its release last Thursday, according to Nielsen BookScan’s Total Consumer Market.

Dame Deborah’s book, which was completed in her final weeks, after she moved to hospice care at her parents house five years after first being diagnosed with bowel cancer, is also the bestselling non-fiction debut of 2022 so far.

The You Me And The Big C podcast host and former deputy headteacher, known by her social media handle Bowelbabe, died on June 28 at the age of 40.

After announcing she was receiving end-of-life care in early May, she completed the book at her parent’s home, co-writing the final chapters with her husband, Sebastien Bowen, with whom she shares two children.

How To Live When You Could Be Dead explores Dame Deborah’s interest in growth mindset theory and how to have a positive mindset even when faced with life’s biggest challenges.

She raised several million in the weeks leading to her death (Picture: David M. Benett/Dave Benett/Getty Images for Royal Ascot)

£3 from each sale will go to her BowelBabe fund (Picture: Ken McKay/ITV/REX/Shutterstock)

For every copy sold in the UK, £3 will go to her BowelBabe Fund for Cancer Research UK, which has so far raised £7.5million through its online fundraiser.

Sam Jackson, editorial director at Vermilion books, said: ‘I am so thrilled that How To Live When You Could Be Dead has become the number one bestselling nonfiction book.

‘It was Deborah’s dream to write a huge bestseller in the self-help space and it’s been such a privilege to help make this a reality.

‘This is by far my proudest publishing moment and I am delighted that Deborah’s inspiring and transformative perspective will help so many people.’

Dame Deborah – who penned ger first book, F*** You Cancer in 2018 – was diagnosed in 2016 and kept her one million Instagram followers up to date with her treatments.

Her candid posts about her progress and diagnosis, including videos of her dancing her way through treatment, won praise from the public and media alike.

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Alongside Lauren Mahon and Rachael Bland, she launched the You, Me And The Big C podcast in 2018.

Shortly before her death she had a rose named in her honour, received a damehood and hosted Prince William at her parents’ home in Woking.

MORE : Dame Deborah James warned mum not to read ‘very emotional’ final chapters of her book

MORE : Dame Deborah James ‘completely naive’ to fact people died from cancer: ‘I was a ticking time bomb’

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