TheBestseller
Observatory

Best Sellers

Hardcover Nonfiction

Week of July 25, 1999

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1
SHADOW
Bob Woodward
Cover of SHADOW

SHADOW

by Bob Woodward · Simon & Schuster

5 wks at #1 · 4 on list

Twenty-five years after Nixon's resignation, investigative journalist Bob Woodward examines the legacy of Watergate. Based on hundreds of interviews and research of government archives, he explains how Watergate has affected American politics.

2
THE GREATEST GENERATION
Tom Brokaw
Cover of THE GREATEST GENERATION

THE GREATEST GENERATION

by Tom Brokaw · Random House

32 wks on list

In this superb book, Tom Brokaw goes out into America, to tell through the stories of individual men and women the story of a generation - America's citizen heroes and heroines who came of age during the Great Depression and the Second World War and went on to build modern America. This was a generation united by common values - by duty, honour, courage, service and love of family and country. Here you'll meet people like Charles Van Gorder, who set up during D-Day a MASH-like medical facility in the middle of the fighting, and then came home to create a clinic and hospital in his hometown. You'll hear ex-President George Bush talk about how, as a Navy Air Corps combat pilot, one of his assignments was to read the mail of the enlisted men under him, to be sure no sensitive military information would be compromised. You'll meet Trudy Elion, winner of the Nobel Prize in medicine, one of the many women in this book who found fulfilling careers in the changed society as a result of the war. And you'll meet Martha Putney, one of the first black women to serve in the newly formed WACs. In the spirit of Band of Brothers, The Greatest Generation tells the stories of ordinary men and women caught up in extraordinary events - individuals united by a common purpose - working, living and dying in the service of their country.

4
1
I AIN'T GOT TIME TO BLEED
Jesse Ventura
Cover of I AIN'T GOT TIME TO BLEED

I AIN'T GOT TIME TO BLEED

by Jesse Ventura · Villard

7 wks on list

When he left the navy SEALs to become a pro wrestler, the fans knew him as "Jesse, the Body." When he hosted his hard-hitting KFAN radio talk show, he became "Jesse, the Mouth." And now that this body-slamming, straight-talking, charismatic hero is masterminding Minnesota's gubernatorial decisions, you'd better start calling him "Jesse, the Mind." In I Ain't Got Time to Bleed, Jesse Ventura reveals the secret of his landslide electoral success—with record voter turnout—and maps his innovative strategies for pioneering a new era in American government. In his own inimitable words, he takes on bloated government, career politicians, and apathetic voters, and tells the wildly colorful story of his days as a navy SEAL, his nights in the pro-wrestling ring, and his experiences on radio and in films like Predator and Batman and Robin . I Ain't Got Time to Bleed is Rocky meets Mr. Smith Goes to Washington—a book that will challenge readers' ideas of traditional government as it introduces them to one of American politics' most ferocious new heroes.

5
2
THE FIRST WORLD WAR
John Keegan
Cover of THE FIRST WORLD WAR

THE FIRST WORLD WAR

by John Keegan · Knopf

3 wks on list

Studies the causes, social and economic impact, and military strategies of World War I and profiles the world leaders who played important roles in the war's outcome.

6
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ENCORE PROVENCE
Peter Mayle
Cover of ENCORE PROVENCE
7
1
THE ART OF HAPPINESS
the Dalai Lama and Howard C. Cutler
Cover of THE ART OF HAPPINESS

THE ART OF HAPPINESS

by the Dalai Lama and Howard C. Cutler · Riverhead

27 wks on list

In this unique and important book, one of the world's great spiritual leaders offers his practical wisdom and advice on how we can overcome everyday human problems and achieve lasting happiness. The Art of Happiness is a highly accessible guide for a western audience, combining the Dalai Lama's eastern spiritual tradition with Dr Howard C. Cutler's western perspective. Covering all key areas of human experience, they apply the principles of Tibetan Buddhism to everyday problems and reveal how one can find balance and complete spiritual and mental freedom. For the many who wish to understand more about the Dalai Lama's approach to living, there has never been a book which brings his beliefs so vividly into the real world.

8
2
BELLA TUSCANY
Frances Mayes
Cover of BELLA TUSCANY

BELLA TUSCANY

by Frances Mayes · Broadway

14 wks on list

Frances Mayes, whose enchanting #1 New York Times bestseller Under the Tuscan Sun made the world fall in love with Tuscany, invites readers back for a delightful new season of friendship, festivity, and food, there and throughout Italy. Having spent her summers in Tuscany for the past several years, Frances Mayes relished the opportunity to experience the pleasures of primavera, an Italian spring. A sabbatical from teaching in San Francisco allowed her to return to Cortona—and her beloved house, Bramasole—just as the first green appeared on the rocky hillsides. Bella Tuscany, a companion volume to Under the Tuscan Sun, is her passionate and lyrical account of her continuing love affair with Italy. Now truly at home there, Mayes writes of her deepening connection to the land, her flourishing friendships with local people, the joys of art, food, and wine, and the rewards and occasional heartbreaks of her villa's ongoing restoration. It is also a memoir of a season of change, and of renewed possibility. As spring becomes summer she revives Bramasole's lush gardens, meets the challenges of learning a new language, tours regions from Sicily to the Veneto, and faces transitions in her family life. Filled with recipes from her Tuscan kitchen and written in the sensuous and evocative prose that has become her hallmark, Bella Tuscany is a celebration of the sweet life in Italy. Now with an excerpt from Frances Mayes's latest southern memoir, Under Magnolia.

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4
YESTERDAY, I CRIED
Iyanla Vanzant
Cover of YESTERDAY, I CRIED

YESTERDAY, I CRIED

by Iyanla Vanzant · Simon & Schuster

16 wks on list

“The most powerful spiritual healer, fixer, teacher on the planet.” —Oprah Winfrey What if your deepest pain held the key to your greatest healing? In Yesterday, I Cried, New York Times bestselling author and spiritual teacher Iyanla Vanzant shares her powerful personal story—a journey marked by abuse, neglect, heartbreak, and loss. With unflinching honesty and raw emotion, she invites us to witness how life’s most painful moments can transform into profound lessons of resilience, self-love, and spiritual growth. Through deeply personal reflections, Iyanla shows how crying—once seen as a sign of weakness—became her pathway to strength, clarity, and healing. Her story is not just her own, but one many will recognize: the struggle to rise above past wounds and reclaim inner peace. This soul-stirring work is for anyone who’s ever felt broken by life, yet still hopes to find wholeness. If you’ve ever asked, “Why me?” or “How do I move forward?”—this book offers an honest, compassionate answer.

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CINDERELLA STORY
Bill Murray with George Peper
Cover of CINDERELLA STORY

CINDERELLA STORY

by Bill Murray with George Peper · Doubleday

7 wks on list

One of the funniest, most beloved, and most often quoted entertainers in the world tells his tale of Life and Golf and somehow surviving both--one pilgrim's bemused path through the doglegs. With his brilliant creation, groundskeeper Carl Spackler, and the outrageous success of the film Caddyshack firmly etched into the American consciousness, Bill Murray and golf have become synonymous. Now Bill tells the hilarious tale behind the tale. The love of the game was with Bill long before Carl uttered the now famous words, "Cinderella story outta nowhere. Former greenskeeper and now about to become the Masters champion." Born and raised in Wilmette, Illinois, Bill felt the lure of the links at a tender age. Following his older brothers Ed and Brian into the rarified world of private country club golf as a caddy, Bill learned life lessons at the caddyshack. "How to smoke, curse, play cards. But more important, when to." And long before he caught the acting and writing bug, Bill protected the Evanston Community Golf Course from gophers and golfers as a greenskeeper: "There must be a bent chromosome somewhere in man that urges him to wound that which he cannot conquer--" And throughout his career, the pull of the links has been constant. A summa cum laude graduate of golf school, specializing in the flop shot, Bill's escapades on the Pro-Am golf circuit, at Augusta National, and as a fan at the Masters, the U.S. Open, and the Western Open make for an irresistible read. Filled with the kind of deadpan and dead-on hilarity that only Bill Murray could create, Cinderella Story is an up-by-the-bootstraps chronicle of a man, his muse, and his critical examination of our society's fascination with a little white ball.

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EVERY MAN A TIGER
Tom Clancy with Chuck Horner
Cover of EVERY MAN A TIGER

EVERY MAN A TIGER

by Tom Clancy with Chuck Horner · Putnam

9 wks on list

General Chuck Horner commanded the U.S. and allied air assets—the forces of a dozen nations—during Desert Shield and Desert Storm, and was responsible for the design and execution of one of the most devastating air campaigns in history. Never before has the Gulf air war planning, a process filled with controversy and stormy personalities, been revealed in such rich, provocative detail. And in this revised edition, General Horner looks at the current Gulf conflict—and comments on the use of air power in Iraq today.

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NEW
CONVERSATIONS WITH GOD: Book 1
Neale Donald Walsch
Cover of CONVERSATIONS WITH GOD: Book 1

CONVERSATIONS WITH GOD: Book 1

by Neale Donald Walsch · Putnam

119 wks on list

In a world where organized religion fails to resonate with a growing number of people, Neale Donald Walsch's Conversations with God offers a refreshing and thought-provoking alternative. Delve into thought-provoking discussions on free speech, creativity, and discernment, as Walsch's empathetic and empowering words guide you towards a life of inner harmony and awakening. Unveiling the secrets to unlocking your true potential, this timeless classic explores the profound connection between humanity and the divine presence. With unwavering honesty and startling clarity, Walsch invites you to embrace love over fear, reminding you that you hold the power to transform your reality.

15
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DEADLINES AND DATELINES
Dan Rather
Cover of DEADLINES AND DATELINES

DEADLINES AND DATELINES

by Dan Rather · Morrow

3 wks on list

Ranging from the Iraqi conflict to poverty in China, from tragedies such as the Oklahoma City bombing to triumphs in courage, Rather's book presents the unique insights of one of America's premier newsmen.

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NEW
ALL TOO HUMAN
George Stephanopoulos
Cover of ALL TOO HUMAN

ALL TOO HUMAN

by George Stephanopoulos · Little, Brown

15 wks on list

All Too Human is a new-generation political memoir, written from the refreshing perspective of one who got his hands on the levers of awesome power at an early age. At thirty, the author was at Bill Clinton's side during the presidential campaign of 1992, & for the next five years he was rarely more than a step away from the president & his other advisers at every important moment of the first term. What Liar's Poker did to Wall Street, this book will do to politics. It is an irreverent & intimate portrait of how the nation's weighty business is conducted by people whose egos & idiosyncrasies are no sturdier than anyone else's. Including sharp portraits of the Clintons, Al Gore, Dick Morris, Colin Powell, & scores of others, as well as candid & revelatory accounts of the famous debacles & triumphs of an administration that constantly went over the top, All Too Human is, like its author, a brilliant combination of pragmatic insight & idealism. It is destined to be the most important & enduring book to come out of the Clinton administration.

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