Aside from sales, the letters from readers have been primarily

Hear the words of Jean M. Auel: “Aside from sales, the letters from readers have been primarily positive.” In this statement, there is wisdom deeper than commerce. For though sales measure numbers, they cannot measure the beating of hearts. True worth is found not in gold, but in the voices of those touched by a story. The letters from readers, filled with gratitude, reflection, and love, are the proof that art has pierced the soul.

The ancients too knew this truth. When Homer’s epics were sung across Greece, there were no charts, no ledgers to count his success. His triumph was in the way men wept at Hector’s farewell, or cheered at Odysseus’s return. The poet lived forever not because of sales, but because of the resonance of his words in the hearts of his people. So too Auel reveals that the truest reward of creation lies not in wealth, but in the positive testimony of those who are changed by it.

Consider the story of Charles Dickens. His works sold well, yes, but what gave him immortality were the countless letters from ordinary people who found in his stories hope, laughter, and courage amidst their struggles. He wrote not only for the rich but for the poor, and their voices returned to him like a tide of affirmation. In the same way, the letters to Auel carry more weight than numbers on a ledger; they are living proof of connection, the bridge between writer and reader.

There is also humility in her words. By acknowledging that sales matter less than the voices of her readers, Auel shows that art is a covenant, not a transaction. The creator pours out a gift, and the audience, by writing back, completes the circle. This exchange is what sustains the artist, giving them the strength to continue the long labor of creation.

So let the generations remember: numbers fade, markets shift, but the positive voices of those touched by art endure. To move even a single heart is to achieve immortality. The measure of greatness is not in how many purchase a book, but in how many souls are awakened by it. This is the wisdom in Auel’s words—that true success lies not in wealth, but in the chorus of human connection.