TheBestseller
Observatory

Best Sellers

Hardcover Fiction

Week of July 4, 1999

FictionNonfiction
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HARRY POTTER AND THE CHAMBER OF SECRETS
J. K. Rowling
Cover of HARRY POTTER AND THE CHAMBER OF SECRETS

HARRY POTTER AND THE CHAMBER OF SECRETS

by J. K. Rowling · Levine/Scholastic

3 wks on list

The summer after his first year at Hogwarts is worse than ever for Harry Potter. The Dursleys of Privet Drive are more horrible to him than ever before. And just when he thinks the endless summer vacation is over, a creature named Dobby the house-elf shows up issuing a grave warning to Harry not to go back to school or disaster will happen! Of course, Harry has to go back- and he does so in grand style, in a flying-car magicked by his friends Ron and Percy Weasley. But getting back to Hogwarts isn't the cure Harry expects it to be. Almost immediately a student is found turned to stone, and then another. And somehow Harry stands accused. Could Harry Potter be the long-feared heir of Slytherin?Harry and friends Hermione and Fred are stretched to their limits in a desperate fight against Draco Malfoy and his gang, the hideously stuck-up new professor Gilderoy Lockheart, the malevolent owner of the diary of Tom Riddle, giant spiders, and perhaps even...Hagrid!This is the book that proves J.K. Rowling is a talent that's here to stay!

4
NEW
MOTHER OF PEARL
Melinda Haynes
Cover of MOTHER OF PEARL

MOTHER OF PEARL

by Melinda Haynes · Hyperion

1 wks on list

In Petal, a segregated community in 1950s Mississippi, Valuable Korner becomes pregnant, and sets off a series of events that exposes the charm and irony of life in the deep South.

5
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THE TESTAMENT
John Grisham
Cover of THE TESTAMENT

THE TESTAMENT

by John Grisham · Doubleday

20 wks on list

#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • In a plush Virginia office, a rich, angry old man is furiously rewriting his will. With his death just hours away, Troy Phelan wants to send a message to his children, his ex-wives, and his minions—a message that will touch off a vicious legal battle and transform dozens of lives. Nate O'Riley is a high-octane Washington litigator who's lived too hard, too fast, for too long. His second marriage in a shambles, and he is emerging from his fourth stay in rehab armed with little more than his fragile sobriety, good intentions, and resilient sense of humor. Returning to the real world is always difficult, but this time it's going to be murder. Rachel Lane is a young woman who chose to give her life to God, who walked away from the modern world with all its strivings and trappings and encumbrances, and went to live and work with a primitive tribe of Indians in the deepest jungles of Brazil. In a story that mixes legal suspense with a remarkable adventure, their lives are forever altered by the startling secret of The Testament. Don’t miss John Grisham’s new book, THE EXCHANGE: AFTER THE FIRM!

8
2
THE GIRL WHO LOVED TOM GORDON
Stephen King
Cover of THE GIRL WHO LOVED TOM GORDON

THE GIRL WHO LOVED TOM GORDON

by Stephen King · Scribner

11 wks on list

When Trisha McFarland gets lost in the woods of Maine she imagines her hero, relief pitcher Tom Gordon, is with her and will help her survive against the beast trying to kill her.

9
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BEYOND THE GREAT SNOW MOUNTAINS
Louis L'Amour
Cover of BEYOND THE GREAT SNOW MOUNTAINS

BEYOND THE GREAT SNOW MOUNTAINS

by Louis L'Amour · Bantam

6 wks on list

An anthology of ten adventures stories features L'Amour's trademark colorful characters and historical detail as they chronicle the exploits of men and women who face untold challenges and danger in their lives

10
NEW
OH, THE PLACES YOU'LL GO!
Dr. Seuss
Cover of OH, THE PLACES YOU'LL GO!

OH, THE PLACES YOU'LL GO!

by Dr. Seuss · Random House

An interactive board book adaptation of the Dr. Seuss classic—featuring 12 different sounds! Perfect for celebrating little ones' milestone moments, from first steps to preschool graduation! Introduce little ones to the world of Dr. Seuss with this super simple interactive adaptation of Oh, the Places You'll Go! that's just right for babies and toddlers. From the sound of clomping shoes and trumpeting elephants to howling Hacken-Kraks and cheering crowds, the twelve sounds featured in the story bring to life the Great Places a child's feet will carry them! This book includes colorful sound buttons, a handy on/off switch, and batteries that can be easily replaced.

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CERTAIN PREY
John Sandford
Cover of CERTAIN PREY
13
EAST OF THE MOUNTAINS
David Guterson
Cover of EAST OF THE MOUNTAINS

EAST OF THE MOUNTAINS

by David Guterson · Harcourt Brace

9 wks on list

When Dr Ben Givens left his Seattle home he never intended to return. It was to be a journey past snow-covered mountains to a place of canyons, sagelands and orchards, where, on the verges of the Columbia River, Ben had entered the world and would now take his leave of it.

Historical bestseller data sourced from the New York Times Book Review, archived by Hawes Publications.