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Sunday, February 26, 2006

Paperback
Fiction
1
THE CLOSERS(Warner, $7.99). By Michael Connelly
After two years of retirement, Harry Bosch returns to the LAPD and joins its new cold-case unit.
3
2
THE BROKER(Dell, $7.99). By John Grisham
The CIA finagles the release of an attorney from federal prison to gain access to a satellite surveillance system.
12
3
MEMOIRS OF A GEISHA(Vintage, $14.95)
By Arthur Golden.The celebrated geisha, Sayuri, tells of her rise to fame and fortune in 1930s imperial Japan.
14
4
HONEYMOON(Warner, $13.95). By James Patterson
& Howard Roughan.An FBI agent suspects the alluring fiancée in a wealthy banker's death.
7
5
SKELETON MAN(HarperTorch, $7.99)
By Tony Hillerman.Leaphorn & Chee hunt for diamonds lost in a 1956 plane collision over the Grand Canyon.
3
6
GILEAD(Picador USA, $14). By Marilynne Robinson
An elderly minister, in failing health, reflects on his enduring faith and a lifetime spent in the same Iowa town.
5
7
THE THIRD SECRET(Ballantine, $7.99). By Steve Berry
The final mystery of Fatima--which Pope John Paul II revealed in 2000--may be more than it seems.
3
8
THE KITE RUNNER(Riverhead, $14)
By Khaled Hosseini.An Afghan immigrant returns to his Taliban-ruled country to atone for a childhood betrayal.
71
9
IMPOSSIBLE(Dell, $7.99). By Danielle Steel
The owner of an influential gallery begins a tempestuous affair with a younger, somewhat Bohemian artist.
3
10
ROBERT LUDLUM'S THE MOSCOW VECTOR
(St. Martin's, $7.99). By Patrick Larkin.A toxin targeting DNA aids Russia's bid to regain lost territory.
1
Nonfiction/General
1
NIGHT(FSG, $9). By Elie Wiesel
The Nobel laureate's terrifying account of his experience in a concentration camp during World War II.
13
2
A MILLION LITTLE PIECES(Anchor, $14.95)
By James Frey.Billed as a memoir of addiction recovery, the author now admits to embellishing his tale.
21
3
IN COLD BLOOD(Vintage, $14). By Truman Capote
Its blend of crime reportage and fictional techniques made this account of a grisly murder an instant classic.
17
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.
59
5
COLLAPSE: HOW SOCIETIES CHOOSE TO FAIL
OR SUCCEED(Penguin, $17). By Jared Diamond
The fatal consequences of ecological mismanagement.
8
6
CONFESSIONS OF AN ECONOMIC HIT MAN
(Plume, $15). By John Perkins.Charges of financial malfeasance at the expense of developing nations.
8
7
ANIMALS IN TRANSLATION: USING THE MYSTERIESOF AUTISM TO DECODE ANIMAL BEHAVIOR(Harvest, $15)
By Temple Grandin & Catherine Johnson
3
8
FLYBOYS: A TRUE STORY OF COURAGE
(Little, Brown, $7.99). By James Bradley.The brutal captivity of eight American POWs held by Japanese forces.
1
9
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.
100
10
GUNS, GERMS, AND STEEL(Norton, $16.95)
By Jared Diamond.The impact of geography and the environment on the course of civilization.
60
Hardcover
Fiction
1
5TH HORSEMAN(Little, Brown, $27.95)
By James Patterson and Maxine Paetro.Patients' puzzling deaths at a hospital suggest a ruthless murderer.
1
2
CELL(Scribner, $26.95). By Stephen King
A mind-altering pulse sent simultaneously via all mobile phones in America turns its recipients into zombies.
4
3
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.
99
4
IN THE COMPANY OF THE COURTESAN
(Random House, $23.95). By Sarah Dunant
A woman's troubles and triumphs inRenaissance Venice.
1
5
THE LAST TEMPLAR(Dutton, $24.95)
By Raymond Khoury.Modern-day zealots fromthe Knights Templar hunt for a treasure not seen since 1291.
4
6
SEA CHANGE(Putnam, $24.95). By Robert B. Parker
Small-town sheriff probes the murder of a visiting Florida heiress who had some kinky sexual whims.
2
7
MEMORY IN DEATH(Putnam, $24.95). By J.D. Robb
Cop Eve Dallas rebuffs her cruel foster mother's attempt at blackmail--and finds her murdered the next day.
4
8
LOVERS & PLAYERS(St. Martin's, $24.95)
By Jackie Collins.A billionaire patriarch summons his three sons (each struggling with personal drama) to NYC.
2
9
THE HOSTAGE(Putnam, $26.95). By W.E.B. Griffin
A diplomat's murder, a family held captive and the Iraqi oil-for-food scandal meld in this Charley Castillo thriller.
7
10
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.
13
Nonfiction/General
1
MARLEY & ME: LIFE AND LOVE WITH THE
WORLD'S WORST DOG(Morrow, $21.95)
By John Grogan.For the love of an unruly Labrador.
10
2
THE WORLD IS FLAT: A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE
TWENTY-FIRST CENTURY(FSG, $27.50)
By Thomas L. Friedman.Globalism's colossal impact.
45
3
MANHUNT: THE 12-DAY CHASE FOR LINCOLN'S KILLER
(Morrow, $26.95). By James L. Swanson.John Wilkes Booth's sensational, elusive flight from Washington, D.C.
2
4
FREAKONOMICS: A ROGUE ECONOMIST EXPLORES
THE HIDDEN SIDE OF EVERYTHING(Morrow, $25.95)
By Steven D. Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner
44
5
YOU'RE WEARING THAT? UNDERSTANDING MOTHERS
AND DAUGHTERS IN CONVERSATION
(Random House, $25.95). By Deborah Tannen
4
6
THE YEAR OF MAGICAL THINKING(Knopf, $23.95)
By Joan Didion.A memoir of mourning; winner of the 2005 National Book Award for nonfiction.
19
7
AT CANAAN'S EDGE: AMERICA IN THE KING YEARS,
1965-68(Simon & Schuster, $35). By Taylor Branch
The third and final volume of a civil rights history.
5
8
TEAM OF RIVALS: THE POLITICAL GENIUS
OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN(Simon & Schuster, $35)
By Doris Kearns Goodwin.Presidential finesse.
12
9
BLINK: THE POWER OF THINKING WITHOUT THINKING
(Little, Brown, $25.95). By Malcolm Gladwell
The complex psychology behind our snap decisions.
44
10
LIGHTING THE WAY: NINE WOMEN WHO CHANGED
MODERN AMERICA(Miramax, $25.95)
By Karenna Gore Schiff.20th-century pioneers.
1

Rankings reflect sales for the week ended Feb. 19, 2006. The charts may not be reproduced without permission from Nielsen BookScan. Copyright © 20YY 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	THE CLOSERS(Warner, $7.99). By Michael Connelly After two years of retirement, Harry Bosch returns to the LAPD and joins its new cold-case unit.	3
2	THE BROKER(Dell, $7.99). By John Grisham The CIA finagles the release of an attorney from federal prison to gain access to a satellite surveillance system.	12
3	MEMOIRS OF A GEISHA(Vintage, $14.95) By Arthur Golden.The celebrated geisha, Sayuri, tells of her rise to fame and fortune in 1930s imperial Japan.	14
4	HONEYMOON(Warner, $13.95). By James Patterson & Howard Roughan.An FBI agent suspects the alluring fiancée in a wealthy banker's death.	7
5	SKELETON MAN(HarperTorch, $7.99) By Tony Hillerman.Leaphorn & Chee hunt for diamonds lost in a 1956 plane collision over the Grand Canyon.	3
6	GILEAD(Picador USA, $14). By Marilynne Robinson An elderly minister, in failing health, reflects on his enduring faith and a lifetime spent in the same Iowa town.	5
7	THE THIRD SECRET(Ballantine, $7.99). By Steve Berry The final mystery of Fatima--which Pope John Paul II revealed in 2000--may be more than it seems.	3
8	THE KITE RUNNER(Riverhead, $14) By Khaled Hosseini.An Afghan immigrant returns to his Taliban-ruled country to atone for a childhood betrayal.	71
9	IMPOSSIBLE(Dell, $7.99). By Danielle Steel The owner of an influential gallery begins a tempestuous affair with a younger, somewhat Bohemian artist.	3
10	ROBERT LUDLUM'S THE MOSCOW VECTOR (St. Martin's, $7.99). By Patrick Larkin.A toxin targeting DNA aids Russia's bid to regain lost territory.	1
	Nonfiction/General
1	NIGHT(FSG, $9). By Elie Wiesel The Nobel laureate's terrifying account of his experience in a concentration camp during World War II.	13
2	A MILLION LITTLE PIECES(Anchor, $14.95) By James Frey.Billed as a memoir of addiction recovery, the author now admits to embellishing his tale.	21
3	IN COLD BLOOD(Vintage, $14). By Truman Capote Its blend of crime reportage and fictional techniques made this account of a grisly murder an instant classic.	17
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.	59
5	COLLAPSE: HOW SOCIETIES CHOOSE TO FAIL OR SUCCEED(Penguin, $17). By Jared Diamond The fatal consequences of ecological mismanagement.	8
6	CONFESSIONS OF AN ECONOMIC HIT MAN (Plume, $15). By John Perkins.Charges of financial malfeasance at the expense of developing nations.	8
7	ANIMALS IN TRANSLATION: USING THE MYSTERIESOF AUTISM TO DECODE ANIMAL BEHAVIOR(Harvest, $15) By Temple Grandin & Catherine Johnson	3
8	FLYBOYS: A TRUE STORY OF COURAGE (Little, Brown, $7.99). By James Bradley.The brutal captivity of eight American POWs held by Japanese forces.	1
9	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.	100
10	GUNS, GERMS, AND STEEL(Norton, $16.95) By Jared Diamond.The impact of geography and the environment on the course of civilization.	60
	Hardcover
	Fiction
1	5TH HORSEMAN(Little, Brown, $27.95) By James Patterson and Maxine Paetro.Patients' puzzling deaths at a hospital suggest a ruthless murderer.	1
2	CELL(Scribner, $26.95). By Stephen King A mind-altering pulse sent simultaneously via all mobile phones in America turns its recipients into zombies.	4
3	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.	99
4	IN THE COMPANY OF THE COURTESAN (Random House, $23.95). By Sarah Dunant A woman's troubles and triumphs inRenaissance Venice.	1
5	THE LAST TEMPLAR(Dutton, $24.95) By Raymond Khoury.Modern-day zealots fromthe Knights Templar hunt for a treasure not seen since 1291.	4
6	SEA CHANGE(Putnam, $24.95). By Robert B. Parker Small-town sheriff probes the murder of a visiting Florida heiress who had some kinky sexual whims.	2
7	MEMORY IN DEATH(Putnam, $24.95). By J.D. Robb Cop Eve Dallas rebuffs her cruel foster mother's attempt at blackmail--and finds her murdered the next day.	4
8	LOVERS & PLAYERS(St. Martin's, $24.95) By Jackie Collins.A billionaire patriarch summons his three sons (each struggling with personal drama) to NYC.	2
9	THE HOSTAGE(Putnam, $26.95). By W.E.B. Griffin A diplomat's murder, a family held captive and the Iraqi oil-for-food scandal meld in this Charley Castillo thriller.	7
10	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.	13
	Nonfiction/General
1	MARLEY & ME: LIFE AND LOVE WITH THE WORLD'S WORST DOG(Morrow, $21.95) By John Grogan.For the love of an unruly Labrador.	10
2	THE WORLD IS FLAT: A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE TWENTY-FIRST CENTURY(FSG, $27.50) By Thomas L. Friedman.Globalism's colossal impact.	45
3	MANHUNT: THE 12-DAY CHASE FOR LINCOLN'S KILLER (Morrow, $26.95). By James L. Swanson.John Wilkes Booth's sensational, elusive flight from Washington, D.C.	2
4	FREAKONOMICS: A ROGUE ECONOMIST EXPLORES THE HIDDEN SIDE OF EVERYTHING(Morrow, $25.95) By Steven D. Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner	44
5	YOU'RE WEARING THAT? UNDERSTANDING MOTHERS AND DAUGHTERS IN CONVERSATION (Random House, $25.95). By Deborah Tannen	4
6	THE YEAR OF MAGICAL THINKING(Knopf, $23.95) By Joan Didion.A memoir of mourning; winner of the 2005 National Book Award for nonfiction.	19
7	AT CANAAN'S EDGE: AMERICA IN THE KING YEARS, 1965-68(Simon & Schuster, $35). By Taylor Branch The third and final volume of a civil rights history.	5
8	TEAM OF RIVALS: THE POLITICAL GENIUS OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN(Simon & Schuster, $35) By Doris Kearns Goodwin.Presidential finesse.	12
9	BLINK: THE POWER OF THINKING WITHOUT THINKING (Little, Brown, $25.95). By Malcolm Gladwell The complex psychology behind our snap decisions.	44
10	LIGHTING THE WAY: NINE WOMEN WHO CHANGED MODERN AMERICA(Miramax, $25.95) By Karenna Gore Schiff.20th-century pioneers.	1