Washington Area Bestsellers

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Sunday, November 27, 2005

Paperback
Fiction
1
STATE OF FEAR(Avon, $7.99). By Michael Crichton
Eco-terrorists plot to create "natural disasters" in an effort to further their radical agenda.
4
2
WHITEOUT(Signet, $7.99). By Ken Follett
The debt-ridden son of a pharmaceutical company's founder burgles the lab, with unforeseen consequences.
4
3
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.
59
4
MEMOIRS OF A GEISHA(Vintage, $14.95)
By Arthur Golden.The celebrated geisha, Sayuri, relates her rise to fame and fortune in 1930s imperial Japan.
2
5
NIGHT FALL(Warner Vision, $7.99). By Nelson Demille
Anti-terrorist expert John Corey is driven to reassess the 1996 crash of TWA Flight 800 off Long Island.
4
6
WICKED: THE LIFE AND TIMES OF THE WICKED
WITCH OF THE WEST(Regan, $15). By Gregory Maguire
This riff on the "Oz" tales features a misunderstood witch.
14
7
DARK WATCH(Berkley, $16). By Clive Cussler and
Jack DuBrul.Pirates prowling the waters of Southeast Asia threaten the livelihood of powerful shipping magnates.
3
8
LIFE EXPECTANCY(Bantam, $7.99). By Dean Koontz
Jimmy Took, buffeted by destiny, musters decency and strength to cope with five days of horror.
4
9
LONDON BRIDGES(Warner Vision, $7.99)
By James Patterson.Alex Cross's nemesis, the Wolf, aims to extort billions by threatening to annihilate entire cities.
8
10
VANISHING ACTS(Washington Square, $14)
By Jodi Picoult.A young woman confronts the painful reality that she was kidnapped as a child by her own father.
1
Nonfiction/General
1
A MILLION LITTLE PIECES(Anchor, $14.95)
By James Frey.A former screenwriter and drug dealer chronicles his addiction and recovery.
9
2
JARHEAD: A MARINE'S CHRONICLE OF THE
GULF WAR AND OTHER BATTLES
(Pocket, $7.99; Scribner, $15). By Anthony Swofford
5
3
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.
15
4
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.
47
5
IN COLD BLOOD(Vintage, $14). By Truman Capote
Its melding of crime reportage and a novel's structure made this account of a 1959 Kansas murder an instant classic.
5
6
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.
90
7
HIS EXCELLENCY: GEORGE WASHINGTON
(Vintage, $15). By Joseph J. Ellis.A biography of the statesman from British army soldier to U.S. president.
2
8
GUNS, GERMS, AND STEEL(Norton, $16.95)
By Jared Diamond.The impact of geography and the environment on the course of civilization.
49
9
BAD CAT: 244 NOT-SO-PRETTY KITTIES AND
CATS GONE BAD(Workman, $9.99). By Jim Edgar
Candid photos of felines acting up and acting out.
32
10
READING LOLITA IN TEHRAN(Random House, $13.95)
By Azar Nafisi.A professor recalls her clandestine Western literature discussion groups for women.
94
Hardcover
Fiction
1
MARY, MARY(Little, Brown, $27.95)
By James Patterson.Hollywood's A-list stars look to Alex Cross to protect them from a vicious serial killer.
1
2
LIGHT FROM HEAVEN(Viking, $26.95). By Jan Karon
Father Tim endeavors to revitalize a long-neglected mountain church in the Mitford Years series' swan song.
2
3
THE CAMEL CLUB(Warner, $26.95). By David Baldacci
A band of zealous conspiracy theorists stumbles across intrigue after witnessing a murder on Roosevelt Island.
4
4
PREDATOR(Putnam, $26.95). By Patricia Cornwell
Forensic examiner Kay Scarpetta, now based in Florida, is stymied by a series of bizarre slayings and thorny clues.
4
5
A FEAST FOR CROWS(Spectra, $28)
By George R.R. Martin.An anxious peace settles over the Seven Kingdoms in this fourth book of Martin's epic saga.
2
6
AT FIRST SIGHT(Warner, $24.95). By Nicholas Sparks
Jeremy Marsh and Lexie Darnell, last seen in Sparks's "True Believer," are coping with the stress of engagement.
4
7
CHRIST THE LORD: OUT OF EGYPT(Knopf, $25.95)
By Anne Rice.The Holy Family's trek back to Nazareth from Egypt, narrated by a 7-year-old Jesus.
3
8
ORDINARY HEROES(FSG, $25). By Scott Turow
A cache of lost letters compels a retired crime reporter to delve into his father's often murky WWII service.
3
9
SAVING FISH FROM DROWNING(Putnam, $26.95)
By Amy Tan.A Burmese vacation is scuttled when American travelers are seized by a mystical rebel tribe.
4
10 TOXIC BACHELORS(Delacorte, $27). By Danielle SteelCharles, Adam and Gray, confirmed bachelors thriving professionally at mid-life, meet their romantic matches. 4
Nonfiction/General
1
TEACHER MAN: A MEMOIR(Scibner, $26)
By Frank McCourt.The author of "Angela's Ashes" recounts his tenure in the NYC public school system.
1
2
TEAM OF RIVALS: THE POLITICAL GENIUS OF
ABRAHAM LINCOLN(Simon & Schuster, $35)
By Doris Kearns Goodwin.Presidential finesse.
4
3
THE WORLD IS FLAT: A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE
TWENTY-FIRST CENTURY(FSG, $27.50)
By Thomas L. Friedman.Globalism's colossal impact.
33
4
OUR ENDANGERED VALUES: AMERICA'S MORAL
CRISIS(Simon & Schuster, $25). By Jimmy Carter
Cautioning against religious fundamentalism's influence.
3
5
THE YEAR OF MAGICAL THINKING(Knopf, $23.95)
By Joan Didion.A memoir of grief and mourning; winner of the 2005 National Book Award for nonfiction.
7
6
ARE MEN NECESSARY? WHEN SEXES COLLIDE
(Putnam, $25.95). By Maureen Dowd.A collection of columns on sex, feminism and gender relations.
2
7
THE COMPLETE CALVIN AND HOBBES
(Andrews McMeel, $150). By Bill Watterson.The cartoon strip in its entirety from its first syndication in 1985.
6
8
HEALTHY AGING: A LIFELONG GUIDE TO YOUR PHYSICAL
AND SPIRITUAL WELL-BEING(Knopf, $27.95)
By Andrew Weil.A new perspective for staying vibrant.
5
9
THE TRUTH: WITH JOKES(Dutton, $25.95)
By Al Franken.The cheeky satirist's follow-up to "Lies" aims to debunk the conservative media spin.
4
10
FREAKONOMICS: A ROGUE ECONOMIST EXPLORES
THE HIDDEN SIDE OF EVERYTHING(Morrow, $25.95)
By Steven D. Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner
32

Rankings reflect sales for the week ended November 20, 2005. The charts may not be reproduced without permission from Nielsen BookScan. Copyright 2005 by Nielsen BookScan. (Right-hand column of italicized numbers reflects weeks on this list, which premiered in Book World on Jan. 11, 2004. Advice, reference and self-help books appear on a separate, monthly list.)

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	Paperback
	Fiction
1	STATE OF FEAR(Avon, $7.99). By Michael Crichton Eco-terrorists plot to create "natural disasters" in an effort to further their radical agenda.	4
2	WHITEOUT(Signet, $7.99). By Ken Follett The debt-ridden son of a pharmaceutical company's founder burgles the lab, with unforeseen consequences.	4
3	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.	59
4	MEMOIRS OF A GEISHA(Vintage, $14.95) By Arthur Golden.The celebrated geisha, Sayuri, relates her rise to fame and fortune in 1930s imperial Japan.	2
5	NIGHT FALL(Warner Vision, $7.99). By Nelson Demille Anti-terrorist expert John Corey is driven to reassess the 1996 crash of TWA Flight 800 off Long Island.	4
6	WICKED: THE LIFE AND TIMES OF THE WICKED WITCH OF THE WEST(Regan, $15). By Gregory Maguire This riff on the "Oz" tales features a misunderstood witch.	14
7	DARK WATCH(Berkley, $16). By Clive Cussler and Jack DuBrul.Pirates prowling the waters of Southeast Asia threaten the livelihood of powerful shipping magnates.	3
8	LIFE EXPECTANCY(Bantam, $7.99). By Dean Koontz Jimmy Took, buffeted by destiny, musters decency and strength to cope with five days of horror.	4
9	LONDON BRIDGES(Warner Vision, $7.99) By James Patterson.Alex Cross's nemesis, the Wolf, aims to extort billions by threatening to annihilate entire cities.	8
10	VANISHING ACTS(Washington Square, $14) By Jodi Picoult.A young woman confronts the painful reality that she was kidnapped as a child by her own father.	1
	Nonfiction/General
1	A MILLION LITTLE PIECES(Anchor, $14.95) By James Frey.A former screenwriter and drug dealer chronicles his addiction and recovery.	9
2	JARHEAD: A MARINE'S CHRONICLE OF THE GULF WAR AND OTHER BATTLES (Pocket, $7.99; Scribner, $15). By Anthony Swofford	5
3	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.	15
4	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.	47
5	IN COLD BLOOD(Vintage, $14). By Truman Capote Its melding of crime reportage and a novel's structure made this account of a 1959 Kansas murder an instant classic.	5
6	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.	90
7	HIS EXCELLENCY: GEORGE WASHINGTON (Vintage, $15). By Joseph J. Ellis.A biography of the statesman from British army soldier to U.S. president.	2
8	GUNS, GERMS, AND STEEL(Norton, $16.95) By Jared Diamond.The impact of geography and the environment on the course of civilization.	49
9	BAD CAT: 244 NOT-SO-PRETTY KITTIES AND CATS GONE BAD(Workman, $9.99). By Jim Edgar Candid photos of felines acting up and acting out.	32
10	READING LOLITA IN TEHRAN(Random House, $13.95) By Azar Nafisi.A professor recalls her clandestine Western literature discussion groups for women.	94
	Hardcover
	Fiction
1	MARY, MARY(Little, Brown, $27.95) By James Patterson.Hollywood's A-list stars look to Alex Cross to protect them from a vicious serial killer.	1
2	LIGHT FROM HEAVEN(Viking, $26.95). By Jan Karon Father Tim endeavors to revitalize a long-neglected mountain church in the Mitford Years series' swan song.	2
3	THE CAMEL CLUB(Warner, $26.95). By David Baldacci A band of zealous conspiracy theorists stumbles across intrigue after witnessing a murder on Roosevelt Island.	4
4	PREDATOR(Putnam, $26.95). By Patricia Cornwell Forensic examiner Kay Scarpetta, now based in Florida, is stymied by a series of bizarre slayings and thorny clues.	4
5	A FEAST FOR CROWS(Spectra, $28) By George R.R. Martin.An anxious peace settles over the Seven Kingdoms in this fourth book of Martin's epic saga.	2
6	AT FIRST SIGHT(Warner, $24.95). By Nicholas Sparks Jeremy Marsh and Lexie Darnell, last seen in Sparks's "True Believer," are coping with the stress of engagement.	4
7	CHRIST THE LORD: OUT OF EGYPT(Knopf, $25.95) By Anne Rice.The Holy Family's trek back to Nazareth from Egypt, narrated by a 7-year-old Jesus.	3
8	ORDINARY HEROES(FSG, $25). By Scott Turow A cache of lost letters compels a retired crime reporter to delve into his father's often murky WWII service.	3
9	SAVING FISH FROM DROWNING(Putnam, $26.95) By Amy Tan.A Burmese vacation is scuttled when American travelers are seized by a mystical rebel tribe.	4
10	TOXIC BACHELORS(Delacorte, $27). By Danielle SteelCharles, Adam and Gray, confirmed bachelors thriving professionally at mid-life, meet their romantic matches.	4
	Nonfiction/General
1	TEACHER MAN: A MEMOIR(Scibner, $26) By Frank McCourt.The author of "Angela's Ashes" recounts his tenure in the NYC public school system.	1
2	TEAM OF RIVALS: THE POLITICAL GENIUS OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN(Simon & Schuster, $35) By Doris Kearns Goodwin.Presidential finesse.	4
3	THE WORLD IS FLAT: A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE TWENTY-FIRST CENTURY(FSG, $27.50) By Thomas L. Friedman.Globalism's colossal impact.	33
4	OUR ENDANGERED VALUES: AMERICA'S MORAL CRISIS(Simon & Schuster, $25). By Jimmy Carter Cautioning against religious fundamentalism's influence.	3
5	THE YEAR OF MAGICAL THINKING(Knopf, $23.95) By Joan Didion.A memoir of grief and mourning; winner of the 2005 National Book Award for nonfiction.	7
6	ARE MEN NECESSARY? WHEN SEXES COLLIDE (Putnam, $25.95). By Maureen Dowd.A collection of columns on sex, feminism and gender relations.	2
7	THE COMPLETE CALVIN AND HOBBES (Andrews McMeel, $150). By Bill Watterson.The cartoon strip in its entirety from its first syndication in 1985.	6
8	HEALTHY AGING: A LIFELONG GUIDE TO YOUR PHYSICAL AND SPIRITUAL WELL-BEING(Knopf, $27.95) By Andrew Weil.A new perspective for staying vibrant.	5
9	THE TRUTH: WITH JOKES(Dutton, $25.95) By Al Franken.The cheeky satirist's follow-up to "Lies" aims to debunk the conservative media spin.	4
10	FREAKONOMICS: A ROGUE ECONOMIST EXPLORES THE HIDDEN SIDE OF EVERYTHING(Morrow, $25.95) By Steven D. Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner	32