TheBestseller
Observatory

Best Sellers

Hardcover Nonfiction

Week of November 4, 2007

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1
I AM AMERICA (AND SO CAN YOU!)
Stephen Colbert, Richard Dahm, Paul Dinello and Allison Silverman
Cover of I AM AMERICA (AND SO CAN YOU!)

I AM AMERICA (AND SO CAN YOU!)

by Stephen Colbert, Richard Dahm, Paul Dinello and Allison Silverman · Grand Central

11 wks at #1 · 2 on list

The host of the popular Colbert Report show celebrates the lighter side of the modern world's most relevant issues, providing straightforward discussions of such topics as faith, politics, and how the author believes the country can reacquire its nerve. 500,000 first printing.

2
CLAPTON
Eric Clapton
Cover of CLAPTON

CLAPTON

by Eric Clapton · Broadway

2 wks on list

Aimed at Eric Clapton fans, this set includes Eric Clapton: The Complete Guide to his Music, Eric Clapton Chord Songbook, matching double audio CD of all the songbook tracks, and a Rock with Eric Clapton: How to Play 2 DVD set.

4
THE AGE OF TURBULENCE
Alan Greenspan
Cover of THE AGE OF TURBULENCE

THE AGE OF TURBULENCE

by Alan Greenspan · Penguin Press

5 wks on list

In this series of essays, Ayn Rand presents her stand on the persecution of big business, the causes of war, the default of conservatism, and the evils of altruism. The foundations of capitalism are being battered by a flood of altruism, which is the cause of the modern world's collapse. This is the view of Ayn Rand, a view so radically opposed to prevailing attitudes that it constitutes a major philosophic revolution. Here is a challenging new look at modern society by one of the most provocative intellectuals on the American scene. This edition includes two articles by Ayn Rand that did not appear in the hardcover edition: “The Wreckage of the Consensus,” which presents the Objectivists’ views on Vietnam and the draft; and “Requiem for Man,” an answer to the Papal encyclical Progresso Populorum.

5
NEW
IF I DID IT
the Goldman family
Cover of IF I DID IT

IF I DID IT

by the Goldman family · Beaufort Books

5 wks on list

All author royalties from the sale of this book are awarded to the Goldman Family. In 1994, Ron Goldman and Nicole Brown Simpson were brutally murdered at her home in Brentwood, California. O.J. Simpson was tried for the crime in a case that captured the attention of the American people, but he was ultimately acquitted of criminal charges. The victims' families brought a civil case against Simpson, which found him liable for willfully and wrongfully causing the deaths of Ron and Nicole committing battery with malice and oppression. Twelve years later, HarperCollins announced the publication of a book in which O.J. Simpson revealed how he would have committed the murders—under the pretense that his confession was "hypothetical." In response to public outrage that Simpson stood to profit from these crimes, HarperCollins canceled the book. Just one year later, Federal Court Judge A. Jay Cristol awarded the Goldman family the rights to If I Did It. Thus began one of the strangest odysseys in publishing history. Originally written by O.J. Simpson, the Goldmans published a new edition of the book in the fall of 2007, which included essays written by members of the Goldman family, a member of the Goldman family legal team, and O.J.'s ghostwriter that reveal the fascinating story behind the bankruptcy case, the book's publication, and the looming court proceedings, which would eventually lead to his conviction. The book, called "one of the most chilling things I have ever read" by Barbara Walters, skyrocketed up bestseller lists across the country in the months following publication as the national media relentlessly covered O.J. Simpson's dramatic Las Vegas arrest for armed robbery and kidnapping. The Goldman family views the book as his confession and has worked hard to ensure that the public will read this book and learn the truth. This is O.J. Simpson's original manuscript with up to 14,000 words of additional key commentary from those whose lives were forever changed by the heinous crime.

6
IF DEMOCRATS HAD ANY BRAINS, THEY’D BE REPUBLICANS
Ann Coulter
Cover of IF DEMOCRATS HAD ANY BRAINS, THEY’D BE REPUBLICANS

IF DEMOCRATS HAD ANY BRAINS, THEY’D BE REPUBLICANS

by Ann Coulter · Crown Forum

3 wks on list

“Uttering lines that send liberals into paroxysms of rage, otherwise known as ‘citing facts,’ is the spice of life. When I see the hot spittle flying from their mouths and the veins bulging and pulsing above their eyes, well, that’s when I feel truly alive.” So begins If Democrats Had Any Brains, They’d Be Republicans, Ann Coulter’s funniest, most devastating, and, yes, most outrageous book to date. Coulter has become the brightest star in the conservative firmament thanks to her razor-sharp reasoning and biting wit. Of course, practically any time she opens her mouth, liberal elites denounce Ann, insisting that “She’s gone too far!” and hopefully predicting that this time it will bring a crashing end to her career. Now you can read all the quotes that have so outraged her enemies and so delighted her legions of fans. More than just the definitive collection of Coulterisms, If Democrats Had Any Brains, They’d Be Republicans includes dozens of brand-new commentaries written by Coulter and hundreds of never-before-published quotations. This is Ann at her best, covering every topic from A to Z. Here you’ll read Coulter’s take on: • Her politics: “As far as I’m concerned, I’m a middle-of-the-road moderate and the rest of you are crazy.” • Hillary Clinton: “Hillary wants to be the first woman president, which would also make her the first woman in a Clinton administration to sit behind the desk in the Oval Office instead of under it.” • The environment: “God gave us the earth. We have dominion over the plants, the animals, the trees. God said, ‘Earth is yours. Take it. Rape it. It’s yours.’” • Religion: “It’s become increasingly difficult to distinguish the pronouncements of the Episcopal Church from the latest Madonna video.” • Global warming: “The temperature of the planet has increased about one degree Fahrenheit in the last century. So imagine a summer afternoon when it’s 63 degrees and the next thing you know it’s . . . 64 degrees. Ahhhh!!!! Run for your lives, everybody! Women and children first!” • Gun control: “Mass murderers apparently can’t read, since they are constantly shooting up ‘gun-free zones.’” • Bill Clinton: “Bill Clinton’s library is the first one to ever feature an Adults Only section.” • Illegal aliens: “I am the illegal alien of commentary. I will do the jokes that no one else will do.” If Democrats Had Any Brains, They’d Be Republicans is a must-have for anyone who loves (or loves to hate) Ann Coulter.

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A LIFETIME OF SECRETS
Frank Warren
Cover of A LIFETIME OF SECRETS

A LIFETIME OF SECRETS

by Frank Warren · Morrow

2 wks on list

The award-winning PostSecret project's most profound and stunning postcards to date For the past three years Frank Warren has invited people of all backgrounds and nationalities to send him creatively decorated postcards bearing secrets they have never before revealed. He has shared these PostSecrets on his award-winning blog, www.PostSecret.com, in an internationally traveling art exhibit, and in three electrifying books: the bestselling PostSecret, My Secret, and The Secret Lives of Men and Women. Now, in his most extraordinary book yet, Warren again delves into our collective confessions, presenting a never-before-seen selection of provocative and moving PostSecrets. A Lifetime of Secrets lays bare our private fears, hopes, regrets, and desires, from people as young as eight and as old as eighty. From painful admissions of infidelity to breathtaking revelations and endearing sentiments, Warren’s latest collection will shock and move readers of every age, revealing secrets that have haunted their creators for a lifetime.

8
THE NINE
Jeffrey Toobin
Cover of THE NINE

THE NINE

by Jeffrey Toobin · Doubleday

5 wks on list

From the best-selling author of A Vast Conspiracy and The Run of His Life comes Too Close to Call--the definitive story of the Bush-Gore presidential recount. A political and legal analyst of unparalleled journalistic skill, Jeffrey Toobin is the ideal writer to distill the events of the thirty-six anxiety-filled days that culminated in one of the most stunning Supreme Court decisions in history. Packed with news-making disclosures and written with the drive of a legal thriller, Too Close to Call takes us inside James Baker's private jet, through the locked gates to Al Gore's mansion, behind the covered-up windows of Katherine Harris's office, and even into the secret conference room of the United States Supreme Court. As the scene shifts from Washington to Austin and into the remote corners of the enduringly strange Sunshine State, Toobin's book will transform what you thought you knew about the most extraordinary political drama in American history. The Florida recount unfolded in a kaleidoscopic maze of bizarre concepts (chads, pregnant and otherwise), unfamiliar people in critically important positions (the Florida Supreme Court), and familiar people in surprising new places (the Miami relatives of Elián González, in a previously undisclosed role in this melodrama). With the rich characterization that is his trademark, Toobin portrays the prominent strategists who masterminded the campaigns--the Daleys and the Roves--and also the lesser-known but influential players who pulled the strings, as well as the judges and justices whose decisions determined the final outcome. Toobin gives both camps a treatment they have not yet received--remarkably evenhanded, nonpartisan, and entirely new. The post-election period posed a challenge to even the most zealous news junkie: how to keep up with what was happening and sort out the important from the trivial. Jeffrey Toobin has now done this--and then some. With clarity, insight, humor, and a deep understanding of the law, he deconstructs the events, the players, and the often Byzantine intricacies of our judicial system. A remarkable account of one of the most significant periods in our country's history, Too Close to Call is endlessly surprising, frequently poignant, and wholly addictive.

9
4
CELEBRITY DETOX
Rosie O’Donnell
Cover of CELEBRITY DETOX

CELEBRITY DETOX

by Rosie O’Donnell · Grand Central

2 wks on list

The popular talk-show host surveys her life as a celebrity, from her first theatrical ambitions, to the impact of her success on her personal life, to her decision to withdraw from the spotlight in order to focus more time on her family.

10
1
QUIET STRENGTH
Tony Dungy with Nathan Whitaker
Cover of QUIET STRENGTH

QUIET STRENGTH

by Tony Dungy with Nathan Whitaker · Tyndale

15 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.

11
NEW
LONE SURVIVOR
Marcus Luttrell with Patrick Robinson
Cover of LONE SURVIVOR

LONE SURVIVOR

by Marcus Luttrell with Patrick Robinson · Little, Brown

17 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.

12
NEW
MUSICOPHILIA
Oliver Sacks
Cover of MUSICOPHILIA

MUSICOPHILIA

by Oliver Sacks · Knopf

1 wks on list

‘A humane discourse on the fragility of our minds, of the bodies that give rise to them, and of the world they create for us. This book is filled with wonders’ Daily Telegraph Oliver Sacks’ compassionate tales of people struggling to adapt to different neurological conditions have fundamentally changed the way we think of our own minds. In Musicophilia, he examines the powers of music through the individual experiences of patients, musicians and everyday people – those struck by affliction, unusual talent and even, in one case, by lightning – to show not only that music occupies more areas of our brain than language does, but also that it can torment, calm, organize and heal. Always wise and compellingly readable, these stories alter our conception of who we are and how we function, and show us an essential part of what it is to be human.

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3
THE WAR
Geoffrey C. Ward
Cover of THE WAR

THE WAR

by Geoffrey C. Ward · Knopf

6 wks on list

Enriched by maps and hundreds of photographs, the companion volume to the forthcoming PBS series, "The War" is the story of World War II captured in the hearts, minds, words, and deeds of those who made history at its most essential level: on the battlefields and on the homefront.

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7
THE DAY OF BATTLE
Rick Atkinson
Cover of THE DAY OF BATTLE

THE DAY OF BATTLE

by Rick Atkinson · Holt

3 wks on list

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER In the second volume of his epic trilogy about the liberation of Europe in World War II, Pulitzer Prize winner Rick Atkinson tells the harrowing story of the campaigns in Sicily and Italy In An Army at Dawn—winner of the Pulitzer Prize—Rick Atkinson provided a dramatic and authoritative history of the Allied triumph in North Africa. Now, in The Day of Battle, he follows the strengthening American and British armies as they invade Sicily in July 1943 and then, mile by bloody mile, fight their way north toward Rome. The Italian campaign's outcome was never certain; in fact, Roosevelt, Churchill, and their military advisers engaged in heated debate about whether an invasion of the so-called soft underbelly of Europe was even a good idea. But once under way, the commitment to liberate Italy from the Nazis never wavered, despite the agonizingly high price. The battles at Salerno, Anzio, and Monte Cassino were particularly difficult and lethal, yet as the months passed, the Allied forces continued to drive the Germans up the Italian peninsula. Led by Lieutenant General Mark Clark, one of the war's most complex and controversial commanders, American officers and soldiers became increasingly determined and proficient. And with the liberation of Rome in June 1944, ultimate victory at last began to seem inevitable. Drawing on a wide array of primary source material, written with great drama and flair, this is narrative history of the first rank. With The Day of Battle, Atkinson has once again given us the definitive account of one of history's most compelling military campaigns.

15
NEW
SCHULZ AND PEANUTS
David Michaelis
Cover of SCHULZ AND PEANUTS

SCHULZ AND PEANUTS

by David Michaelis · Harper

1 wks on list

Charles Schulz, the most widely syndicated and beloved cartoonist of all time, is also one of the most misunderstood figures in American culture. Now, acclaimed biographer David Michaelis gives us the first full-length biography of Schulz: at once a creation story, a portrait of a hidden American genius, and a chronicle contrasting the private man with the central role he played in shaping the national imagination. The son of a barber, Schulz was born in Minnesota to modest, working class roots. In 1943, just three days after his mother′s tragic death from cancer, Schulz, a private in the army, shipped out for boot camp and the war in Europe. The sense of shock and separation never left him. And these early experiences would shape his entire life. With Peanuts, Schulz embedded adult ideas in a world of small children to remind the reader that character flaws and childhood wounds are with us always. It was the central truth of his own life, that as the adults we′ve become and as the children we always will be, we can free ourselves, if only we can see the humour in the predicaments of funny-looking kids. Schulz′s Peanuts profoundly influenced the country in the second half of the 20th century. But the strip was anchored in the collective experience and hardships of Schulz′s generation-the generation that survived the Great Depression and liberated Europe and the Pacific and came home to build the post-war world.

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