Washington Area Bestsellers
Sunday, November 28, 2004; Page BW11
Paperback
Fiction
1 THE KITE RUNNER (Riverhead, $14). By Khaled Hosseini
An Afghan immigrant returns to his Taliban-ruled country in the hope of atoning for a childhood betrayal.9
2 BLUE DAHLIA (Jove, $7.99). By Nora Roberts
Widowed Stella Rothschild and her sons move into the Harper mansion, an estate haunted by a troubled spirit.4
3 SKIPPING CHRISTMAS (Dell, $6.99). By John Grisham
A couple, jaded by all the material trappings of the holidays, vows to have a year without Christmas.6
4 ANGELS & DEMONS (Pocket Star, $7.99)
By Dan Brown. The Illuminati, a secret cabal, threaten the Vatican at the outset of a papal conclave.47
5 THE CURIOUS INCIDENT OF THE DOG IN THE NIGHT-TIME (Vintage, $12). By Mark Haddon. An autistic boy digs into a poodle's death, unearthing some family secrets. 27
6 THE CHRISTMAS TRAIN (Warner, $5.99)
By David Baldacci. A journalist, forced to travel cross-country by train, finds unexpected rewards.3
7 THE BIG BAD WOLF (Warner, $7.99)
By James Patterson. FBI novice Alex Cross matches wits with a Russian mobster trafficking in sexual slavery.8
8 EMMA'S SECRET (St. Martin's, $7.99)
By Barbara Taylor Bradford. The diaries of Emma Harte, heroine of Bradford's "A Woman of Substance," are found.3
9 THE SINISTER PIG (HarperTorch, $7.99)
By Tony Hillerman. Sgt. Jim Chee and now-retired Lt. Joe Leaphorn deal with murder and mismanaged tribal funds.3
10 DECEPTION POINT (Pocket, $7.99). By Dan Brown
A meteorite discovered by NASA, containing never-before-seen fossils, may be a giant hoax.33
Nonfiction/General
1 THE 9/11 COMMISSION REPORT: FINAL REPORT
OF THE NATIONAL COMMISSION ON TERRORIST
ATTACKS UPON THE UNITED STATES (Norton, $10)18
2 READING LOLITA IN TEHRAN (Random House, $13.95)
By Azar Nafisi. A professor's memoir of her clandestine Western literature discussion groups for women students.44
3 DON'T THINK OF AN ELEPHANT: KNOW YOUR
VALUES AND FRAME THE DEBATE (Chelsea Green, $10)
By George Lakoff. A playbook for progressive activists.3
4 THE BUSH SURVIVAL BIBLE: 250 WAYS TO MAKE
IT THROUGH THE NEXT FOUR YEARS ... (Villard, $9.99)
By Gene Stone. Aid for the frustrated and fuming.2
5 A SHORT HISTORY OF NEARLY EVERYTHING
(Broadway, $15.95). By Bill Bryson. A quirky, popular history of science's grandest achievements.10
6 UNCLE JOHN'S SLIGHTLY IRREGULAR BATHROOM
READER (Portable, $16.95). By the Bathroom Readers'
Institute. A hodgepodge of bizarre but true trivia.1
7 FLYBOYS: A TRUE STORY OF COURAGE
(Back Bay, $14.95). By James Bradley. The brutal captivity of eight American POWs held by Japanese forces.10
8 THE DEVIL IN THE WHITE CITY (Vintage, $14.95)
By Erik Larson. Serial killer Henry Holmes preys on Chicago residents amid the bustle of the 1893 World's Fair.40
9 DREAMS FROM MY FATHER: A STORY OF RACE
AND INHERITANCE (Three Rivers, $13.95)
By Barack Obama. Memoir by the senator-elect.15
10 THE GEORGETOWN LADIES' SOCIAL CLUB: POWER,
PASSION, AND POLITICS IN THE NATION'S CAPITAL
(Atria, $14). By C. David Heymann2
Hardcover
Fiction
1 LONDON BRIDGES (Little, Brown, $27.95)
By James Patterson. Alex Cross's nemesis, the Wolf, aims to extort billions by threatening to annihilate entire cities.2
2 I AM CHARLOTTE SIMMONS (FSG, $28.95)
By Tom Wolfe. At elite Dupont University, a naive freshman finds socializing to be just as rigorous as class.2
3 HOUR GAME (Warner, $26.95). By David Baldacci
A murderer, mimicking the modus operandi of notorious serial killers, menaces the hamlet of Wrightsburg, Va.4
4 THE DA VINCI CODE (Doubleday, $24.95)
By Dan Brown. Ciphers and riddles impede a symbologist's quest for the Holy Grail and a murderer's identity.47
5 THE CHRISTMAS THIEF (Simon & Schuster, $21)
By Mary Higgins Clark & Carol Higgins Clark. A Vermont spruce, destined for Rockefeller Center, conceals a treasure.2
6 THE GODFATHER RETURNS (Random House, $26.95)
By Mark Winegardner. Fresh twists in the saga of the Corleone clan, inspired by Mario Puzo's books and films.1
7 THE DA VINCI CODE: SPECIAL ILLUSTRATED EDITION
(Doubleday, $35). By Dan Brown. The art and cryptology thriller with hundreds of apropos photos and images.3
8 THE FIVE PEOPLE YOU MEET IN HEAVEN
(Hyperion, $19.95). By Mitch Albom. A parable illustrating the importance of life's smallest acts.46
9 THE PLOT AGAINST AMERICA (Houghton Mifflin, $26)
By Philip Roth. An alternate history in which Charles Lindbergh, as a Nazi sympathizer, is elected U.S. president.8
10 METRO GIRL (HarperCollins, $26.95)
By Janet Evanovich. Alex Barnaby hits Miami and points beyond in a risky gamble to locate her missing brother.3
Nonfiction/General
1 AMERICA (THE BOOK): A CITIZEN'S GUIDE TO
DEMOCRACY INACTION (Warner, $24.95)
By Jon Stewart & the Daily Show. Humor meets history.9
2 HIS EXCELLENCY: GEORGE WASHINGTON
(Knopf, $26.95). By Joseph J. Ellis. A biography of the statesman from British army soldier to U.S. president.4
3 LEARNING TO SING: HEARING THE MUSIC IN YOUR
LIFE (Random House, $21.95). By Clay Aiken with
Allison Glock. Faith and the "American Idol" contender.1
4 WHEN WILL JESUS BRING THE PORK CHOPS?
(Hyperion, $23.95). By George Carlin. The comedian's mocking riffs on America's social and political climate.6
5 WHAT'S THE MATTER WITH KANSAS?: HOW
CONSERVATIVES WON THE HEART OF AMERICA
(Metropolitan, $24). By Thomas Frank3
6 HOW TO TALK TO A LIBERAL (IF YOU MUST)
(Crown Forum, $26.95). By Ann Coulter. The conservative pundit sizes up the American political scene.7
7 IMPERIAL HUBRIS: WHY THE WEST IS LOSING THE
WAR ON TERROR (Brassey's, $27.50). By Anonymous
A CIA agent (since unmasked) prescribes policy changes.13
8 CHRONICLES: VOLUME ONE
(Simon & Schuster, $24). By Bob Dylan. The singer and songwriter contemplates pivotal moments in his life.7
9 THE COMPLETE CARTOONS OF THE NEW YORKER
(Black Dog & Levanthal, $60). Ed. by Robert Mankoff
"Best of" book; two CDs containing all cartoons published.4
10 WILL IN THE WORLD: HOW SHAKESPEARE BECAME
SHAKESPEARE (Norton, $26.95)
By Stephen Greenblatt. National Book Award nominee. 4