The book section of the Religious Booksellers Trade Exhibit (RBTE) hall sold out, while the gift segment drew first-time exhibitors, according to the trade show organizer Bob Byrnes.

Final attendance counts were unavailable at press time for the 16th annual RBTE, which wrapped up Friday at the Pheasant Run Resort in St. Charles, Ill.

During the three-and-a-half-day event, retailers heard inspirational talks from leading Catholic and Episcopal authors. Among them were Thursday's luncheon speaker and prominent Catholic commentator James Martin, who spoke on My Life With the Saints. Later that evening, Andrew Greeley discussed Where Is God in Our Human Story during the RBTE closing banquet.

Also during Thursday's luncheon, the Catholic Book Publishers Association (CBPA) honored Michael Leach with the 2007 Lifetime Achievement Award.

“You or someone you know has touched, seen, bought, sold, read or loved a Mike Leach product,” said Bernadette Price, director of mission education for Maryknoll Orbis Books and a CBPA board member. “He has worked on over 2,000 books in his more than 35-year career.”

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