Washington Area Bestsellers
Sunday, August 14, 2005; Page BW11
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. THE RULE OF FOUR(Dell, $7.99). By Ian Caldwell and Dustin Thomason.Four roommates at Princeton attempt to unlock the secrets of a 14th-century manuscript. WHITE HOT(Pocket, $9.95). By Sandra Brown Sayre Lynch is aghast when she learns of her brother's death--more so when all signs point to murder. TRACE(Berkley, $7.99). By Patricia Cornwell Kay Scarpetta returns to the medical examiner's office to help the new director sort out a young girl's death. NIGHT TALES(Silhouette, $7.99). By Nora Roberts Two tales of romantic suspense, "Night Shift" and "Night Shadow," republished in one volume. MEMORIAL DAY(Pocket Star, $9.95). By Vince Flynn The CIA's almost effortless thwarting of an al Qaeda attack makes agent Mitch Rapp suspicious. THE SECRET LIFE OF BEES(Penguin, $14) By Sue Monk Kidd.Three women beekeepers offer an abused girl comfort and a safe haven. DEAN KOONTZ'S FRANKENSTEIN: BOOK TWO: CITY OF NIGHT(Bantam, $7.99). By Dean Koontz and Ed Gorman.Horrific creatures ravage New Orleans. LOST CITY(Berkley, $9.99). By Clive Cussler with Paul Kemprecos.A protein found in the ocean's depths, able to sustain life, is key to a plot of world domination. THE TIPPING POINT: HOW LITTLE THINGS CAN MAKE A BIG DIFFERENCE(Back Bay, $14.95) By Malcolm Gladwell.A look at fads and their origins. GUNS, GERMS, AND STEEL(Norton, $16.95) By Jared Diamond.The impact of geography and the environment on the course of civilization. DRESS YOUR FAMILY IN CORDUROY AND DENIM (Back Bay, $14.95). By David Sedaris.A collection of witty essays starring the humorist's family. THE DEVIL IN THE WHITE CITY(Vintage, $14.95) By Erik Larson.Serial killer H.H. Holmes preys on Chicago residents amid the bustle of the 1893 World's Fair. IT'S NOT ABOUT THE BIKE: MY JOURNEY BACK TO LIFE (Berkley, $14). By Lance Armstrong with Sally Jenkins Memoir by the seven-time Tour de France champion. READING LOLITA IN TEHRAN(Random House, $13.95) By Azar Nafisi.A professor recalls her clandestine Western literature discussion groups for women students. PLEDGED: THE SECRET LIFE OF SORORITIES (Hyperion, $13.95). By Alexandra Robbins The inner workings of one Greek chapter laid bare. RUNNING WITH SCISSORS(Picador USA, $14) By Augusten Burroughs.A coming-of-age memoir chock-full of hilarious and downright disturbing moments. WHY DO MEN HAVE NIPPLES?(Three Rivers, $12.95) By Mark Leyner and Billy Goldberg.Audacious questions to ask your doctor after that third cocktail. BAD CAT: 244 NOT-SO-PRETTY KITTIES AND CATSGONE BAD(Workman, $9.95). By Jim Edgar Candid photos of felines acting up and acting out. LIFEGUARD(Little, Brown, $26.95). By James Patterson and Maxine Paetro.A Boston boy's promising life in Palm Beach goes to pot after a failed $60 million art heist. THE INTERRUPTION OF EVERYTHING(Viking, $25.95) By Terry McMillan.Marilyn Grimes's midlife angst throws into question her marriage, love life and identity. THE HISTORIAN(Little, Brown, $25.95) By Elizabeth Kostova.Three generations of one family pursue the undead Dracula by means of a medieval book. THE UNDOMESTIC GODDESS(Dial, $23) By Sophie Kinsella.After a costly error, a star London attorney accepts a housekeeping position in the country. THE DA VINCI CODE(Doubleday, $24.95) By Dan Brown.Ciphers and riddles impede a symbologist's quest for the Holy Grail and a killer's identity. UNTIL I FIND YOU(Random House, $27.95) By John Irving.Celebrity actor Jack Burns confronts a harrowing past by tracking down his long-absent father. DOUBLE TAP(Putnam, $26.95). By Steve Martini The expert slaying of the CEO of a defense contractor casts suspicion on an Army vet-turned-security guard. THE MERMAID CHAIR(Viking, $24.95) By Sue Monk Kidd.Jessie's visit to her ailing mother brings some surprising confidences to light. NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN(Knopf, $24.95) By Cormac McCarthy.A grisly discovery--dead bodies, $2 million and heroin--leads to a fateful choice. ORIGIN IN DEATH(Putnam, $24.95). By J.D. Robb In this near-future thriller featuring Detective Eve Dallas, a cosmetic surgeon's murder portends a chilling secret. 1776(Simon & Schuster, $32). By David McCullough Military campaigns and personal narratives tell the story of the first full year of the American Revolution. CONFESSIONS OF A VIDEO VIXEN(Amistad, $24.95) By Karrine Steffans.The hip-hop video actress exposes her painful past and the gritty side of a glittering industry. THE WORLD IS FLAT: A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE TWENTY-FIRST CENTURY(FSG, $27.50) By Thomas L. Friedman.Globalism's colossal impact. FREAKONOMICS: A ROGUE ECONOMIST EXPLORES THE HIDDEN SIDE OF EVERYTHING(Morrow, $25.95) By Steven D. Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner BLINK: THE POWER OF THINKING WITHOUT THINKING (Little, Brown, $25.95). By Malcolm Gladwell The complex psychology behind our snap decisions. 100 PEOPLE WHO ARE SCREWING UP AMERICA (AND AL FRANKEN IS #37)(HarperCollins, $25.95) By Bernard Goldberg.Targeting the "cultural elite." THE FAIRTAX BOOK: SAYING GOODBYE TO THE INCOME TAX AND THE IRS(Regan, $24.95) By Neal Boortz and Congressman John Linder NEW RULES: POLITE MUSINGS FROM A TIMID OBSERVER (Rodale, $24.95). By Bill Maher.The comedian's political-themed barbs, a regular staple of his cable show. THE SECRET MAN: THE STORY OF WATERGATE'S DEEP THROAT(Simon & Schuster, $23) By Bob Woodward.W. Mark Felt's crucial role. LANCE ARMSTRONG'S WAR: ONE MAN'S BATTLE AGAINST FATE, FAME, LOVE, DEATH, SCANDAL ... (HarperCollins, $25.95). By Daniel CoylePaperback Fiction 1 44 2 6 3 3 4 6 5 2 6 THE CURIOUS INCIDENT OF THE DOG IN THE NIGHT-TIME(Vintage, $12.95). By Mark Haddon.An autistic boy digs into a poodle's death, unearthing family secrets. 62 7 3 8 34 9 2 10 2 Nonfiction/General 1 32 2 35 3 10 4 75 5 7 6 79 7 5 8 14 9 1 10 19 Hardcover Fiction 1 4 2 3 3 8 4 3 5 82 6 4 7 2 8 18 9 3 10 3 Nonfiction/General 1 10 2 6 3 18 4 17 5 30 6 4 7 1 8 1 9 5 10 3