Washington Area Bestsellers

	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.	11
2	ANGELS & DEMONS (Pocket Star, $7.99) By Dan Brown. The Illuminati, a secret cabal, threaten the Vatican at the outset of a papal conclave.	49
3	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.	29
4	REUNION (Silhouette, $7.99). By Nora Roberts Double the romance in this batch of novellas: "Once More With Feeling" and "Treasures Lost, Treasures Found."	2
5	THE TROJAN ODYSSEY (Berkley, $7.99) By Clive Cussler. Dirk Pitt and family uncover a nefarious plot to plunge the planet into another ice age.	2
6	SKIPPING CHRISTMAS (Dell, $6.99). By John Grisham A couple, jaded by all the material trappings of the holidays, vows to spend a year without Christmas.	8
7	BLUE DAHLIA (Jove, $7.99). By Nora Roberts Widowed Stella Rothschild and her boys move into the Harper mansion, an estate haunted by a troubled spirit.	6
8	CONSPIRACY CLUB (Ballantine, $7.99) By Jonathan Kellerman. A psychologist, aided by a secret society, attempts to solve a series of gruesome murders.	2
9	DECEPTION POINT (Pocket, $7.99). By Dan Brown A meteorite discovered by NASA, containing never-before-seen fossils, may be a giant hoax.	35
10	THE TIME TRAVELER'S WIFE (Harvest, $14) By Audrey Niffenegger. A man fated to be whisked back and forth through time manages to find true love.	1
	Nonfiction/General
1	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.	46
2	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.	4
3	A SHORT HISTORY OF NEARLY EVERYTHING (Broadway, $15.95). By Bill Bryson. A quirky, popular evaluation of science's grandest achievements.	12
4	THE 9/11 COMMISSION REPORT: FINAL REPORT OF THE NATIONAL COMMISSION ON TERRORIST ATTACKS UPON THE UNITED STATES (Norton, $10)	20
5	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.	42
6	FLYBOYS: A TRUE STORY OF COUR AGE (Back Bay, $14.95). By James Bradley. The brutal captivity of eight American POWs held by Japanese forces.	12
7	DREAMS FROM MY FATHER: A STORY OF RA CE AND INHERIATNCE (Three Rivers, $13.95) By Barack Obama. Memoir by the senator-elect.	17
8	TUESDAYS WITH MORRIE (Broadway, $12.95) By Mitch Albom. The sportswriter chronicles his emotional reunion with his mentor from college days.	21
9	FRANKLIN AND WINSTON: AN INTIMATE PORTRAIT OF AN EPIC FRIENDSHIP (Random House, $16.95) By Jon Meacham. Exploration of a famous alliance.	2
10	HOLIDAYS ON ICE (Back Bay, $8.95). By David Sedaris True and fanciful tales of the season brimming with angst and a generous amount of wry humor.	2
	Hardcover
	Fiction
1	STATE OF FEAR (HarperCollins, $27.95) By Michael Crichton. Eco-terrorists develop a weather control device to help further their radical agenda.	1
2	THE FIVE PEOPLE YOU MEET IN HEAVEN (Hyperion, $19.95). By Mitch Albom. A parable illustrating the importance of life's smallest acts.	48
3	A SALTY PIECE OF LAND (Little, Brown, $27.95) By Jimmy Buffett. The mystery of a Caribbean lighthouse's lost lens spices up tour guide Tully Mars's carefree days.	2
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.	49
5	BLACK WIND (Putnam, $27.95). By Clive Cussler & Dirk Cussler. Dirk Pitt (Sr. & Jr.) rally to avert a biochemical attack on the U.S. meant to incriminate Japan.	2
6	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.	4
7	I AM CHARLOTTE SIMMONS (FSG, $28.95) By Tom Wolfe. At elite Dupont University, a naïve freshman finds socializing to be just as rigorous as class.	4
8	THE DA VINCI CODE: SPECIAL ILLUSTRATED EDITION (Doubleday, $35). By Dan Brown. The art and cryptology thriller with hundreds of apropos photos and images.	5
9	NIGHT FALL (Warner, $26.95). By Nelson DeMille Anti-terrorist expert John Corey is compelled to reassess the 1996 crash of TWA Flight 800 off Long Island.	2
10	WHITEOUT (Dutton, $26.95). By Ken Follett The debt-ridden son of a pharmaceutical company's founder burgles the lab, with unforeseen consequences.	2
	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.	11
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.	6
3	CHRONICLES: VOLUME ONE (Simon & Schuster, $24) By Bob Dylan. The singer/songwriter contemplates pivotal moments in his life, pointedly his artistic evolution.	9
4	FAITHFUL: TWO DIEHARD REDSOX FANS CHRONICLE THE HISTORIC 2004 SEASON (Scribner, $26). By Stewart O'Nan & Stephen King	2
5	WHEN WILL JESUS BRING THE PORK CHOPS? (Hyperion, $23.95). By George Carlin. The comedian's mocking riffs on America's political and social climate.	8
6	THE COMPLETE CARTOONS OF THE NEW YORKE R (Black Dog & Levanthal, $60). Ed. by Robert Mankoff "Best of" book; two CDs containing all cartoons published.	6
7	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.	9
8	WILL IN THE WORLD: HOW SHAKESPEARE BECAME SHAKESPEARE (Norton, $26.95) By Stephen Greenblatt. National Book Award nominee.	6
9	MY LIFE (Knopf, $35). By Bill Clinton The former president reminisces about his tumultuous childhood and political accomplishments.	19
10	WHAT'S THE MATTER WITH KANSAS?: HOW CONSERVATIVES WON THE HEART OF AMERICA (Metropolitan, $24). By Thomas Frank	5

Rankings reflect sales for the week ended December 12, 2004. The charts may not be reproduced without permission from Nielsen BookScan. Copyright © 2004 by Nielsen BookScan. (Right-hand column of italicized numbers reflects weeks on this list, which premiered in Book World on Jan. 11, 2004. Advice and self-help books appear on a separate, monthly list.)