TheBestseller
Observatory

Best Sellers

Hardcover Nonfiction

Week of April 2, 1961

FictionNonfiction
WeekMonth
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6
2
RING OF BRIGHT WATER
Gavin Maxwell
Cover of RING OF BRIGHT WATER

RING OF BRIGHT WATER

by Gavin Maxwell · E.P. Dutton

4 wks on list

A personal narrative of life with two pet otters on the isolated Western Highlands of Scotland.

7
2
SKYLINE
Gene Fowler

SKYLINE

by Gene Fowler · Viking Press

7 wks on list

Memories of the newsrooms of the "New York American" and the "Morning Telegraph" of the 1920s, recalling some of the personalities the author encountered.

10
PROFILES IN COURAGE
John F. Kennedy
Cover of PROFILES IN COURAGE

PROFILES IN COURAGE

by John F. Kennedy · Harper and Brothers

97 wks on list

The Pulitzer Prize winning classic by President John F. Kennedy, with an introduction by Caroline Kennedy and a foreword by Robert F. Kennedy. Written in 1955 by the then junior senator from the state of Massachusetts, John F. Kennedy's Profiles in Courage serves as a clarion call to every American. In this book Kennedy chose eight of his historical colleagues to profile for their acts of astounding integrity in the face of overwhelming opposition. These heroes, coming from different junctures in our nation’s history, include John Quincy Adams, Daniel Webster, Thomas Hart Benton, and Robert A. Taft. Now, a half-century later, the book remains a moving, powerful, and relevant testament to the indomitable national spirit and an unparalleled celebration of that most noble of human virtues. It resounds with timeless lessons on the most cherished of virtues and is a powerful reminder of the strength of the human spirit. Profiles in Courage is as Robert Kennedy states in the foreword: “not just stories of the past but a book of hope and confidence for the future. What happens to the country, to the world, depends on what we do with what others have left us." Along with vintage photographs and an extensive author biography, this book features Kennedy's correspondence about the writing project, contemporary reviews, a letter from Ernest Hemingway, and two rousing speeches from recipients of the Profile in Courage Award. Introduction by John F. Kennedy’s daughter Caroline Kennedy, forward by John F. Kennedy’s brother Robert F. Kennedy.

11
4
THE SNAKE HAS ALL THE LINES
Jean Kerr
Cover of THE SNAKE HAS ALL THE LINES

THE SNAKE HAS ALL THE LINES

by Jean Kerr · Doubleday

20 wks on list

The #1 New York Times–bestselling author of Please Don't Eat the Daisies offers another hilarious look at home life, show business, and more. Jean Kerr played many roles in her life, from exasperated mother to Broadway playwright and keen observer of mid-twentieth century suburbia. She also became one of America's most beloved humorists by sharing her insights and anecdotes in a series of popular newspaper columns. In The Snake Has All the Lines, Kerr explores topics ranging from family vacations and modern convenience to the trials and tribulations of opening a new play. With her inimitable wit, she reminds us that while life may be a day at the beach, a day at the beach with small children can have you questioning your life choices in no time.

16
NEW
THE FROG POND
Joyce MacIver

THE FROG POND

by Joyce MacIver · George Braziller

1 wks on list

Psychosexual autobiography of a young woman troubled by a strange compulsion and how she sought help from six psychoanalysts

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