TheBestseller
Observatory

Best Sellers

Hardcover Nonfiction

Week of September 23, 2007

FictionNonfiction
WeekMonth
Jump to
2
NEW
MOTHER TERESA: COME BE MY LIGHT
Cover of MOTHER TERESA: COME BE MY LIGHT

MOTHER TERESA: COME BE MY LIGHT

by · Doubleday

1 wks on list

This historic work reveals the inner spiritual life of one of the most beloved and important religious figures in history--Mother Teresa. During her lifelong service to the poorest of the poor, Mother Teresa became an icon of compassion to people of all religions; her extraordinary contributions to the care of the sick, the dying, and thousands of others nobody else was prepared to look after has been recognized and acclaimed throughout the world. Little is known, however, about her own spiritual heights or her struggles. This collection of her writing and reflections, almost all of which have never been made public before, sheds light on Mother Teresa's interior life in a way that reveals the depth and intensity of her holiness for the first time. Compiled and presented by Fr. Brian Kolodiejchuk, M.C., who knew Mother Teresa for twenty years and is the postulator for her cause for sainthood and director of the Mother Teresa Center, Mother Teresa brings together letters she wrote to her spiritual advisors over decades. A moving chronicle of her spiritual journey—including moments, indeed years, of utter desolation—these letters reveal the secrets she shared only with her closest confidants. She emerges as a classic mystic whose inner life burned with the fire of charity and whose heart was tested and purified by an intense trial of faith, a true dark night of the soul. "If I ever become a Saint-- I will surely be one of "darkness." I will continually be absent from Heaven-- to light the light of those in darkness on earth." --Mother Teresa

3
1
LONE SURVIVOR
Marcus Luttrell with Patrick Robinson
Cover of LONE SURVIVOR

LONE SURVIVOR

by Marcus Luttrell with Patrick Robinson · Little, Brown

13 wks on list

Four U.S. Navy SEALs fought to the death against 150 armed Taliban in the Afghan mountains. Now, two years later, the lone SEAL survivor pens this spellbinding, first-hand account, a heartbreaking, yet inspiring story of heroism, courage, and sacrifice. 8-page b & w photo insert.

4
NEW
DEAD CERTAIN
Robert Draper
Cover of DEAD CERTAIN

DEAD CERTAIN

by Robert Draper · Free Press

1 wks on list

In the definitive book on the Bush presidency, a gifted reporter and longtime Bush observer with unprecedented access to the White House offers a revealing and balanced look at this most secretive of administrations.

5
3
QUIET STRENGTH
Tony Dungy with Nathan Whitaker
Cover of QUIET STRENGTH

QUIET STRENGTH

by Tony Dungy with Nathan Whitaker · Tyndale

9 wks on list

A biography of the coach of the Indianapolis Colts and the first African American football coach to lead his team to a Superbowl victory concentrates on his religious life as well as his career in football.

7
THE WORLD WITHOUT US
Alan Weisman
Cover of THE WORLD WITHOUT US

THE WORLD WITHOUT US

by Alan Weisman · Thomas Dunne/St. Martin’s

9 wks on list

Revised Edition with New Afterword from the Author Time #1 Nonfiction Book of the Year Finalist for the National Book Critics Circle Award Over 3 million copies sold in 35 Languages "On the day after humans disappear, nature takes over and immediately begins cleaning house - or houses, that is. Cleans them right off the face of the earth. They all go." What if mankind disappeared right now, forever... what would happen to the Earth in a week, a year, a millennium? Could the planet's climate ever recover from human activity? How would nature destroy our huge cities and our myriad plastics? And what would our final legacy be? Speaking to experts in fields as diverse as oil production and ecology, and visiting the places that have escaped recent human activity to discover how they have adapted to life without us, Alan Weisman paints an intriguing picture of the future of Earth. Exploring key concerns of our time, this absorbing thought experiment reveals a powerful - and surprising - picture of our planet's future.

8
NEW
THINGS I OVERHEARD WHILE TALKING TO MYSELF
Alan Alda
Cover of THINGS I OVERHEARD WHILE TALKING TO MYSELF

THINGS I OVERHEARD WHILE TALKING TO MYSELF

by Alan Alda · Random House

1 wks on list

'The message is consistent: it's not what you do in life, but how you do it. Notice everything. Always be open to new ideas, new experiences. Alda is chatty, easygoing and humble ... His words of inspiration would be a perfect gift.' Publishers Weekly Acclaimed actor and internationally bestselling author Alan Alda has written a shrewd and funny account of some impossible questions he's asked himself over the years: what do I value? What, exactly, is the good life? (And what does that even mean?) Here, Alda listens in on things he's heard himself saying at critical points in his life - from the turbulence of the 60s, to his first Broadway show, to the birth of his children, and to the ache of September 11. He notices that 'doorways are where the truth is told', and wonders what one thing - art, activism, family, money, fame - could lead to a 'life of meaning'. In a book that is candid, wise and as questioning as it is incisive, Alda amuses and moves us with his uniquely witty meditations on questions great and small.

9
4
IT’S ALL ABOUT HIM
Denise Jackson with Ellen Vaughn
Cover of IT’S ALL ABOUT HIM

IT’S ALL ABOUT HIM

by Denise Jackson with Ellen Vaughn · Thomas Nelson

6 wks on list

Written by Denise Jackson, with co-writer Ellen Vaughn, this inspirational book gives the reader an all-access look into one of country music's most famous couples: their love story, struggles, dreams, success, the near-failure of their marriage, and the rediscovery of their faith and how that has dramatically shaped their lives.

10
NEW
BLONDE AMBITION
Rita Cosby
Cover of BLONDE AMBITION

BLONDE AMBITION

by Rita Cosby · Grand Central

1 wks on list

An analysis of the facts in the death of Anna Nicole Smith presents surprising new information about the nature of her demise and sheds new light on the subsequent battle for control of her estate and baby daughter.

11
5
GOD IS NOT GREAT
Christopher Hitchens
Cover of GOD IS NOT GREAT

GOD IS NOT GREAT

by Christopher Hitchens · Twelve

19 wks on list

Christopher Hitchens takes on his biggest subject yet - the increasingly dangerous role of religion in the world. He makes the ultimate case against religion. With a close and erudite reading of the major religious texts, he documents the ways in which religion is a man-made wish, a cause of dangerous sexual repression, and a distortion of our origins in the cosmos. With eloquent clarity, Hitchens frames the argument for a more secular life based on science and reason, in which hell is replaced by the Hubble Telescope's awesome view of the universe, and Moses and the burning bush give way to the beauty and symmetry of the double helix.

12
NEW
THE ISRAEL LOBBY AND U.S. FOREIGN POLICY
John J. Mearsheimer and Stephen M. Walt
Cover of THE ISRAEL LOBBY AND U.S. FOREIGN POLICY

THE ISRAEL LOBBY AND U.S. FOREIGN POLICY

by John J. Mearsheimer and Stephen M. Walt · Farrar, Straus & Giroux

1 wks on list

Originally published in 2007, The Israel Lobby and U.S. Foreign Policy, by John Mearsheimer of the University of Chicago and Stephen M. Walt of Harvard's John F. Kennedy School of Government, provoked both howls of outrage and cheers of gratitude for challenging what had been a taboo issue in America: the impact of the Israel lobby on U.S. foreign policy. A work of major importance, it remains as relevant today as it was in the immediate aftermath of the Israel-Lebanon war of 2006. Mearsheimer and Walt describe in clear and bold terms the remarkable level of material and diplomatic support that the United States provides to Israel and argues that this support cannot be fully explained on either strategic or moral grounds. This exceptional relationship is due largely to the political influence of a loose coalition of individuals and organizations that actively work to shape U.S. foreign policy in a pro-Israel direction. They provocatively contend that the lobby has a far-reaching impact on America's posture throughout the Middle East―in Iraq, Iran, Lebanon, and toward the Israeli-Palestinian conflict―and the policies it has encouraged are in neither America's national interest nor Israel's long-term interest. The lobby's influence also affects America's relationship with important allies and increases dangers that all states face from global jihadist terror. The publication of The Israel Lobby and U.S. Foreign Policy led to a sea change in how the U.S-Israel relationship was discussed, and continues to be one of the most talked-about books in foreign policy.

13
10
YOU CAN RUN BUT YOU CAN’T HIDE
Duane Chapman with Laura Morton
Cover of YOU CAN RUN BUT YOU CAN’T HIDE

YOU CAN RUN BUT YOU CAN’T HIDE

by Duane Chapman with Laura Morton · Hyperion

5 wks on list

"Freeze!" Duane "Dog" Chapman entertains and inspires millions on Dog the Bounty Hunter, his #1-rated show on A&E -- but there is more to his story. From troubled beginnings and tragedy to triumph and transformation, he reveals all for the first time in this no-holds-barred memoir. Dog spent the first twenty-three years of his life on the wrong side of the law. In You Can Run, but You Cant Hide, he offers an inside look at his days as a gang member; his dark years of addiction and abuse; and how serving eighteen months in prison for a murder he didnt commit helped him recommit to his faith. He also shares stories of some of his most dangerous bounty hunts -- including his capture of Max Factor heir and convicted rapist Andrew Luster, which made international headlines. In You Can Run, but You Cant Hide, Dog recounts his incredible story, chronicling his journey from his onetime criminal past to the guiding faith that has led him to become one of the most successful bounty hunters in American history. Against all odds, Dog turned his life around and went from ex-con to American icon in the process. This is his story.

14
NEW
THE BUS
Jerome Bettis with Gene Wojciechowski
Cover of THE BUS

THE BUS

by Jerome Bettis with Gene Wojciechowski · Doubleday

1 wks on list

He was one of pro football’s most beloved and respected stars, admired not only by NFL fans and his own teammates, but by his opponents as well. Super Bowl champion; six time Pro Bowler; NFL Comeback Player of the Year; NFL Man of the Year; fifth all-time leading rusher in the NFL; future Hall of Famer; now NBC Sports commentator. You may think you know Jerome Bettis, but you don’t. In The Bus, Jerome Bettis tells his full, unvarnished story for the first time--from his sometimes troubled childhood in inner-city Detroit to his difficult transition at Notre Dame, to a pro coach who almost caused him to quit the game, to a trade for the ages that resulted in ten glorious seasons with the Pittsburgh Steelers. As a chunky child wearing glasses, Jerome’s only sports-related aspiration was to become a professional bowler. But growing up in one of the roughest neighborhoods in Detroit, he eventually found his escape on the high school football field, thanks to the devotion of hard-working parents, a concerned coach, and his prodigious talent. He arrived at Notre Dame as one of the nation’s best prep players, but despite his incredible performances, he never stopped worrying that he would somehow blow his chance to make good. Drafted and later discarded by the Los Angeles Rams, it was in the football-obsessed city of Pittsburgh that Jerome found his home and became a legend. The Bus captures the sweetness and honesty of Bettis, but also details the jaw-dropping, violent nature of the game he loved, the mind-boggling injuries he endured, and the cut-throat NFL business tactics he overcame and later mastered. Through it all, Jerome was also a loving son, an adoring father, and the ultimate teammate and mentor. The Bus not only takes you under the helmet, but inside the huddle, the locker room, the practice field, the negotiating table, the owner’s office, and the Super Bowl sideline. You’ll learn how Bettis became The Bus, how he helped engineer the greatest trade in Steelers history, how he almost cost Pittsburgh a conference championship, and how sweet it was to win—finally—one for the thumb.

15
7
A LONG WAY GONE
Ishmael Beah
Cover of A LONG WAY GONE

A LONG WAY GONE

by Ishmael Beah · Sarah Crichton/Farrar, Straus & Giroux

30 wks on list

In A Long Way Gone Ishmael Beah tells a riveting story in his own words: how, at the age of twelve, he fled attacking rebels and wandered a land rendered unrecognizable by violence. By thirteen, he'd been picked up by the government army, and Beah, at heart a gentle boy, found that he was capable of truly terrible acts. My new friends have begun to suspect I haven't told them the full story of my life. "Why did you leave Sierra Leone?" "Because there is a war." "You mean, you saw people running around with guns and shooting each other?" "Yes, all the time." "Cool." I smile a little. "You should tell us about it sometime." "Yes, sometime." This is how wars are fought now: by children, hopped-up on drugs and wielding AK-47s. Children have become soldiers of choice. In the more than fifty conflicts going on worldwide, it is estimated that there are some 300,000 child soldiers. Ishmael Beah used to be one of them. What is war like through the eyes of a child soldier? How does one become a killer? How does one stop? Child soldiers have been profiled by journalists, and novelists have struggled to imagine their lives. But until now, there has not been a first-person account from someone who came through this hell and survived. This is a rare and mesmerizing account, told with real literary force and heartbreaking honesty.

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