TheBestseller
Observatory

Best Sellers

Hardcover Nonfiction

Week of December 11, 2011

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STEVE JOBS
Walter Isaacson
Cover of STEVE JOBS

STEVE JOBS

by Walter Isaacson · Simon & Schuster

11 wks at #1 · 5 on list

Based on more than 40 interviews with Jobs conducted over two years--as well as interviews with more than 100 family members, friends, adversaries, competitors, and colleagues--Isaacson has written a riveting story of the roller-coaster life and searingly intense personality of a creative entrepreneur whose passion for perfection and ferocious drive revolutionized six industries: personal computers, animated movies, music, phones, tablet computing, and digital publishing.

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KILLING LINCOLN
Bill O'Reilly and Martin Dugard
Cover of KILLING LINCOLN

KILLING LINCOLN

by Bill O'Reilly and Martin Dugard · Holt

9 wks on list

A riveting historical narrative of the heart-stopping events surrounding the assassination of Abraham Lincoln, and the first work of history from mega-bestselling author Bill O'Reilly The iconic anchor of The O'Reilly Factor recounts one of the most dramatic stories in American history—how one gunshot changed the country forever. In the spring of 1865, the bloody saga of America's Civil War finally comes to an end after a series of increasingly harrowing battles. President Abraham Lincoln's generous terms for Robert E. Lee's surrender are devised to fulfill Lincoln's dream of healing a divided nation, with the former Confederates allowed to reintegrate into American society. But one man and his band of murderous accomplices, perhaps reaching into the highest ranks of the U.S. government, are not appeased. In the midst of the patriotic celebrations in Washington D.C., John Wilkes Booth—charismatic ladies' man and impenitent racist—murders Abraham Lincoln at Ford's Theatre. A furious manhunt ensues and Booth immediately becomes the country's most wanted fugitive. Lafayette C. Baker, a smart but shifty New York detective and former Union spy, unravels the string of clues leading to Booth, while federal forces track his accomplices. The thrilling chase ends in a fiery shootout and a series of court-ordered executions—including that of the first woman ever executed by the U.S. government, Mary Surratt. Featuring some of history's most remarkable figures, vivid detail, and page-turning action, Killing Lincoln is history that reads like a thriller.

3
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BEING GEORGE WASHINGTON
Glenn Beck and Kevin Balfe
Cover of BEING GEORGE WASHINGTON

BEING GEORGE WASHINGTON

by Glenn Beck and Kevin Balfe · Threshold Editions/Mercury Radio Arts

1 wks on list

This is the amazing true story of a real-life superhero who changed the world forever. Bullet holes through his clothing. Unimaginable hardship. Disease. Heroism. Spies and double-agents. It's the story of George Washington, like readers have never seen before.

5
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JACK KENNEDY
Chris Matthews
Cover of JACK KENNEDY

JACK KENNEDY

by Chris Matthews · Simon & Schuster

4 wks on list

Based on interviews with some of his closest associates, a portrait of the thirty-fifth president discusses his privileged childhood, military service, struggles with a life-threatening disease, and career in politics.

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THROW THEM ALL OUT
Peter Schweizer
Cover of THROW THEM ALL OUT

THROW THEM ALL OUT

by Peter Schweizer · Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

2 wks on list

THE BOOK WASHINGTON DOES NOT WANT YOU TO READ How is it that politicians often enter office with relatively modest assets, but then, as investors, regularly beat the stock market and sometimes beat the most rapacious hedge funds? How did some members of Congress know to dump their stock holdings just in time to escape the effects of the 2008 financial meltdown? And how is it that billionaires and hedge fund managers often make well-timed investment decisions that anticipate events in Washington? In this powerfully argued book, Peter Schweizer blows the lid off Washington’s epidemic of “honest graft.” He exposes a secret world where members of Congress insert earmarks into bills to improve their own real-estate holdings, and campaign contributors receive billions in federal grants. Nobody goes to jail. Throw Them All Out casts light into the darkest corners of the political system — and offers ways to clean house. "Throw Them All Out is filled with stories of petty theft and so-called 'honest graft' . . . Unsparingly bipartisan in [its] criticism of Washington . . . Mr. Schweizer has performed a valuable service to his country." — Washington Times

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BACK TO WORK
Bill Clinton
Cover of BACK TO WORK

BACK TO WORK

by Bill Clinton · Knopf

3 wks on list

In Back to Work, Bill Clinton offers a plan to get America out of its economic crisis and "back into the future business." Clinton details how to lay a foundation for long-term prosperity, offering specific recommendations on how to boost employment rates, increase bank lending and corporate investment, and double exports. He emphasises that antigovernment sentiments in the public rarely contribute to a prosperous growth. Conflict between the government and the private sector has given the U.S. a weak economy, growing income inequality, and a decline in its competitive position. Cooperation, he stresses, is more conducive to success than conflict. To Clinton, America “at its core is an idea – the idea that no matter who you are or where you're from, if you work hard and play by the rules, you'll have the freedom and opportunity to pursue your own dreams.” Back to Work is an effort to rejuvenate the idea that is America.

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THEN AGAIN
Diane Keaton
Cover of THEN AGAIN

THEN AGAIN

by Diane Keaton · Random House

2 wks on list

NAMED ONE OF THE TEN BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY Janet Maslin, The New York Times • People • Vogue ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR Financial Times • Chicago Sun-Times •The Independent • Bookreporter •The Sunday Business Post Mom loved adages, quotes, slogans. There were always little reminders pasted on the kitchen wall. For example, the word THINK. I found THINK thumbtacked on a bulletin board in her darkroom. I saw it Scotch-taped on a pencil box she’d collaged. I even found a pamphlet titled THINK on her bedside table. Mom liked to THINK. So begins Diane Keaton’s unforgettable memoir about her mother and herself. In it you will meet the woman known to tens of millions as Annie Hall, but you will also meet, and fall in love with, her mother, the loving, complicated, always-thinking Dorothy Hall. To write about herself, Diane realized she had to write about her mother, too, and how their bond came to define both their lives. In a remarkable act of creation, Diane not only reveals herself to us, she also lets us meet in intimate detail her mother. Over the course of her life, Dorothy kept eighty-five journals—literally thousands of pages—in which she wrote about her marriage, her children, and, most probingly, herself. Dorothy also recorded memorable stories about Diane’s grandparents. Diane has sorted through these pages to paint an unflinching portrait of her mother—a woman restless with intellectual and creative energy, struggling to find an outlet for her talents—as well as her entire family, recounting a story that spans four generations and nearly a hundred years. More than the autobiography of a legendary actress, Then Again is a book about a very American family with very American dreams. Diane will remind you of yourself, and her bonds with her family will remind you of your own relationships with those you love the most. Look for special features inside. Join the Circle for author chats and more.

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HOW I GOT THIS WAY
Regis Philbin
Cover of HOW I GOT THIS WAY

HOW I GOT THIS WAY

by Regis Philbin · It Books/HarperCollins

2 wks on list

In this entertaining memoir, the irrepressible "Reege" - consummate talk show host, man about town, loving husband, father, and yes, obsessive sports fan-looks back at his years in show business. One of the most popular television and cultural icons ever, Regis Philbin entertained television audiences for more than fifty years—as a beloved morning-show host ( Live with Regis and Kelly), a nighttime game-show host ( Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?) and also as a fixture on national and local late-night talk shows. The irrepressible "Reege" has regaled television audiences with his stories for more than half a century, but he's saved the most hilarious, surprising, heartfelt, and inspiring tales for How I Got This Way. Both a fascinating show business memoir and a delightful primer for living the good life rolled into one, How I Got This Way is Reege being Reege, just the way we love him, as he shares the secrets to success and happiness that he has learned from his innumerable celebrity encounters, his close, personal friendships, and, of course, his relationship with his loving wife and family.

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IMPERFECT JUSTICE
Jeff Ashton with Lisa Pulitzer
Cover of IMPERFECT JUSTICE

IMPERFECT JUSTICE

by Jeff Ashton with Lisa Pulitzer · Morrow/HarperCollins

2 wks on list

Jeff Ashton, part of the prosecuting team in the Casey Anthony trial, gives the definitive story of the investigation, the trial, and the acquittal that shocked a nation. With behind-the-scenes information, including many details that have not been made public, Ashton describes what the prosecution got right, what they got wrong, and why he remains completely convinced of Casey Anthony's guilt. For three years, the case of the death of Caylee Anthony gripped the American public. People watched in disbelief as Caylee's mother tried to justify her bizarre behavior surrounding her daughter's disappearance, and eventual death. The resulting media firestorm reached a fever pitch when Casey Anthony was acquitted of murder by a Florida jury.

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GABBY
Gabrielle Giffords and Mark Kelly with Jeffrey Zaslow
Cover of GABBY

GABBY

by Gabrielle Giffords and Mark Kelly with Jeffrey Zaslow · Scribner

2 wks on list

Como individuos, la congresista Gabrielle Giffords y su esposo, el astronauta Mark Kelly, demostraron a los estadounidenses cómo el optimismo, el espíritu aventurero y el llamado al servicio pueden ayudar a cambiar el mundo. Como pareja, se convirtieron en un ejemplo nacional del poder sanador que puede encontrarse en la valentía y el amor profundamente compartidos. Su llegada al centro de atención mundial se dio en la peor de las situaciones. El 8 de enero de 2011, al reunirse con sus electores en Tucson, Arizona, Gabby fue víctima de un atentado que dejó seis muertos y trece heridos. Los médicos dijeron que era un “milagro” que hubiera sobrevivido. Íntima, inspiradora, conmovedora e inolvidable, Gabby: Una historia de valor y esperanza cuenta la vida de estas dos personas extraordinarias. Lleva a los lectores detrás de muchas puertas cerradas: a la plataforma de lanzamiento del transbordador espacial, a los vestuarios del Congreso, y a las salas de hospital donde Gabby luchó para recuperarse con la ayuda de formidables equipos médicos y de familiares y amigos dedicados. Gabby: Una historia de valor y esperanza es un recordatorio del poder que tienen la valentía y la paciencia en la superación de obstáculos inimaginables, y de la trascendencia del amor.

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BOOMERANG
Michael Lewis
Cover of BOOMERANG

BOOMERANG

by Michael Lewis · Norton

8 wks on list

'A highly enjoyable exercise in financial disaster tourism... politically incorrect, often very funny, and shot through with genuine insight' Robert Harris, The Times In this hilarious, fascinating, timely must-read, Michael Lewis reveals the true natures of the countries caught up in - and exacerbating - our boomerang economies, showing how the financial meltdown hit us all in the face. Right now, Europe is in serious financial chaos. In Greece, infrastructure costs mean it would be cheaper to transport all Greek rail passengers by taxi, and hairdressing is classified as arduous for tax avoidance purposes. In Iceland, Range Rovers frequently explode as owners collect the insurance to pay for them. Ireland saw the entire country put up for sale - to itself, while the Germans expected the whole world to behave like them. But the whole world didn't. 'Chock-full of extraordinary characters, amusing anecdotes and shocking insights' Observer 'A tour de force... All those questions you've half-asked yourself: nowhere else will you find them answered with such incisive wit or terrifying clarity' Mail on Sunday

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THE NEW NEW RULES
Bill Maher
Cover of THE NEW NEW RULES

THE NEW NEW RULES

by Bill Maher · Blue Rider

2 wks on list

From bestselling author and host of HBO's Real Time, Bill Maher's new book of political riffs serves up a savagely funny set of rules for preserving sanity in an insane world. A follow-up to the New York Times bestselling The New Rules, The New New Rules delivers a series of hilarious, intelligent rants on everything from same-sex marriage to healthcare, from Republican agendas to celebrity meltdowns, with all the razor-sharp insight that has made Bill Maher one of the most influential comedic voices shaping the political debate today. With another presidential campaign on the horizon and a stellar set of real-life characters to have fun with - "New Rule: If Charlie Sheen's home life means he can't have a TV show, then I say Newt Gingrich can't be president"-this enlightening and important book may be the best thing you pretend to read all year.

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THINKING, FAST AND SLOW
Daniel Kahneman
Cover of THINKING, FAST AND SLOW

THINKING, FAST AND SLOW

by Daniel Kahneman · Farrar, Straus & Giroux

5 wks on list

One of the most influential books of the 21st century: the ground-breaking psychology classic - over 10 million copies sold - that changed the way we think about thinking 'There have been many good books on human rationality and irrationality, but only one masterpiece. That masterpiece is Thinking, Fast and Slow' Financial Times 'A lifetime's worth of wisdom' Steven D. Levitt, co-author of Freakonomics Why do we make the decisions we do? Nobel Prize winner Daniel Kahneman revolutionised our understanding of human behaviour with Thinking, Fast and Slow. Distilling his life's work, Kahneman showed that there are two ways we make choices: fast, intuitive thinking, and slow, rational thinking. His book reveals how our minds are tripped up by error, bias and prejudice (even when we think we are being logical) and gives practical techniques that enable us all to improve our decision-making. This profound exploration of the marvels and limitations of the human mind has had a lasting impact on how we see ourselves. 'The godfather of behavioural science ... his steely analysis of the human mind and its many flaws remains perhaps the most useful guide to remaining sane and steady' Sunday Times

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