TheBestseller
Observatory

Best Sellers

Hardcover Nonfiction

Week of August 12, 2012

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WILD
Cheryl Strayed
Cover of WILD

WILD

by Cheryl Strayed · Knopf

7 wks at #1 · 15 on list

#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • A powerful, blazingly honest memoir: the story of an eleven-hundred-mile solo hike that broke down a young woman reeling from catastrophe—and built her back up again. A Kirkus Reviews Best Nonfiction Book of the Century At twenty-two, Cheryl Strayed thought she had lost everything. In the wake of her mother’s death, her family scattered and her own marriage was soon destroyed. Four years later, with nothing more to lose, she made the most impulsive decision of her life. With no experience or training, driven only by blind will, she would hike more than a thousand miles of the Pacific Crest Trail from the Mojave Desert through California and Oregon to Washington State—and she would do it alone. Told with suspense and style, sparkling with warmth and humor, Wild powerfully captures the terrors and pleasures of one young woman forging ahead against all odds on a journey that maddened, strengthened, and ultimately healed her.

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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

44 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.

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THE AMATEUR
Edward Klein
Cover of THE AMATEUR

THE AMATEUR

by Edward Klein · Regnery

11 wks on list

Think you know the real Barack Obama? You don’t—not until you’ve read The Amateur. In this stunning exposé, bestselling author Edward Klein—a contributing editor to Vanity Fair, former foreign editor of Newsweek, and former editor-in-chief of the New York Times Magazine—pulls back the curtain on one of the most secretive White Houses in history. He reveals a callow, thin-skinned, arrogant president with messianic dreams of grandeur supported by a cast of true-believers, all of them united by leftist politics and an amateurish understanding of executive leadership.

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STEVE JOBS
Walter Isaacson
Cover of STEVE JOBS

STEVE JOBS

by Walter Isaacson · Simon & Schuster

39 wks 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.

6
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THE CORRUPTION CHRONICLES
Tom Fitton
Cover of THE CORRUPTION CHRONICLES

THE CORRUPTION CHRONICLES

by Tom Fitton · Threshold Editions

1 wks on list

Discloses secrets and corruption the watchdog group has discovered in the Obama administration through various legal battles, sharing insights into activities related to terrorism, illegal immigration, and the health-care initiative.

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THE DREAM TEAM
Jack McCallum
Cover of THE DREAM TEAM

THE DREAM TEAM

by Jack McCallum · Ballantine

3 wks on list

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER Acclaimed sports journalist Jack McCallum delivers the untold story of the greatest team ever assembled: the 1992 U.S. Olympic Men’s Basketball Team. As a writer for Sports Illustrated, McCallum enjoyed a courtside seat for the most exciting basketball spectacle on earth, covering the Dream Team from its inception to the gold medal ceremony in Barcelona. Drawing on fresh interviews with the players, McCallum provides the definitive account of the Dream Team phenomenon. He offers a behind-the-scenes look at the controversial selection process. He takes us inside the team’s Olympic suites for late-night card games and bull sessions where superstars like Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, and Larry Bird debated the finer points of basketball. And he narrates a riveting account of the legendary intrasquad scrimmage that pitted the Dream Teamers against one another in what may have been the greatest pickup game in history. In the twenty years since the Dream Team first captivated the world, its mystique has only grown. Dream Team vividly re-creates the moment when a once-in-a-millennium group of athletes came together and changed the future of sports—one perfectly executed fast break at a time. With a new Afterword by the author. “The absolute definitive work on the subject, a perfectly wonderful once-you-pick-it-up-you-won’t-be-able-to-put-it-down book.”—The Boston Globe “An Olympic hoops dream.”—Newsday “What makes this volume a must-read for nostalgic hoopsters are the robust portraits of the outsize personalities of the participants, all of whom were remarkably open with McCallum, both then and now.”—Booklist (starred review)

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DAYS OF DESTRUCTION, DAYS OF REVOLT
Chris Hedges and Joe Sacco

DAYS OF DESTRUCTION, DAYS OF REVOLT

by Chris Hedges and Joe Sacco · Nation Books

1 wks on list

De la réserve indienne de Pine Ridge dans le Dakota aux militants d'Occupy Wall Street, Joe Sacco et Chris Hedges ont parcouru les zones sinistrées des USA. Ils dressent un constat terrible des conséquences d'un capitalisme décomplexé sur les laissés-pour-compte du système, dans un pays dont le taux de pauvreté est le plus élevé des pays industrialisés.

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BAILOUT
Neil Barofsky
Cover of BAILOUT

BAILOUT

by Neil Barofsky · Free Press

1 wks on list

In this bracing, page-turning account of his stranger-than-fiction baptism into the corrupted ways of Washington, Neil Barofsky offers an irrefutable indictment, from an insider of the Bush and Obama administrations, of the mishandling of the $700 billion TARP bailout fund. In vivid behind-the-scenes detail, he reveals proof of the extreme degree to which our government officials bent over backward to serve the interests of Wall Street firms at the expense of the broader public—and at the expense of effective financial reform.

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THE MOBILE WAVE
Michael Saylor
Cover of THE MOBILE WAVE

THE MOBILE WAVE

by Michael Saylor · Vanguard Press

2 wks on list

Smart phones are just the beginning . . . A tech exec's New York Times bestselling, groundbreaking analysis of the impact of mobile intelligence. With the perspective of a historian, the precision of a technologist, and the pragmatism of a CEO, Michael J. Saylor of MicroStrategy provides a panoramic view of the future mobile world. He describes how: A Harvard education will be available to anyone with the touch of a screen. Cash will become virtual software and crime proof. Cars, homes, fruit, animals, and more will be tagged so they can tell you about themselves. Buying an item will be as easy as pointing our mobile device to scan and pay. Land and capital will become more of a liability than an asset. Social mobile media will push all businesses to think and act like software companies. Employment will shift as more service-oriented jobs are automated by mobile software. Products, businesses, industries, economies, and even society will be altered forever as the Mobile wave washes over us and changes the landscape. With so much change, The Mobile Wave is a guidebook for individuals, business leaders, and public figures who must navigate the new terrain as mobile intelligence changes everything. "The visionary picture he paints of the future is captivating, informative, and thought-provoking . . . Readers will be able understand and appreciate his clear and engaging exploration of a complex, red-hot, and thoroughly up-to-the minute topic." — USA Today "A thoughtful romp across invention and innovation." — Fortune "A blueprint for impending change and a sober warning for the laggards who resist it." —Forbes.com

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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

25 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

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IMAGINE
Jonah Lehrer
Cover of IMAGINE

IMAGINE

by Jonah Lehrer · Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

17 wks on list

How do you measure the imagination? How do you quantify an epiphany? In Jonah Lehrer's book, we go in search of the epiphany. Shattering the myth of creative 'types', Lehrer shows how new research is deepening our understanding of the human imagination.

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THE POWER OF HABIT
Charles Duhigg
Cover of THE POWER OF HABIT

THE POWER OF HABIT

by Charles Duhigg · Random House

20 wks on list

There's never been a better time to set new habits. This book will change your life. In The Power of Habit, award-winning journalist Charles Duhigg takes us into the thrilling and surprising world of the scientific study of habits. He examines why some people and companies struggle to change, despite years of trying, while others seem to remake themselves overnight. He visits laboratories where neuroscientists explore how habits work and where, exactly, they reside in our brains. And he uncovers how the right habits were crucial to the success of Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps, Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz, and civil-rights hero Martin Luther King, Jr. The result is a compelling argument and an empowering discovery: the key to exercising regularly, losing weight, raising exceptional children, becoming more productive or even building revolutionary companies is understanding how habits work. By harnessing this new science, we can transform our businesses, our communities, and our lives. ______________________________ '[An] essential manual for business and living.' Andrew Hill, Financial Times 'Once you read this book, you'll never look at yourself, your organisation, or your world quite the same way.' Daniel H. Pink 'This is a first-rate book - based on an impressive mass of research, written in a lively style and providing just the right balance of intellectual seriousness with practical advice on how to break our bad habits.' The Economist

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THE VIOLINIST'S THUMB
Sam Kean
Cover of THE VIOLINIST'S THUMB

THE VIOLINIST'S THUMB

by Sam Kean · Little, Brown

1 wks on list

From New York Times bestselling author Sam Kean comes incredible stories of science, history, language, and music, as told by our own DNA. In The Disappearing Spoon, bestselling author Sam Kean unlocked the mysteries of the periodic table. In The Violinist's Thumb, he explores the wonders of the magical building block of life: DNA. There are genes to explain crazy cat ladies, why other people have no fingerprints, and why some people survive nuclear bombs. Genes illuminate everything from JFK's bronze skin (it wasn't a tan) to Einstein's genius. They prove that Neanderthals and humans bred thousands of years more recently than any of us would feel comfortable thinking. They can even allow some people, because of the exceptional flexibility of their thumbs and fingers, to become truly singular violinists. Kean's vibrant storytelling once again makes science entertaining, explaining human history and whimsy while showing how DNA will influence our species' future.

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YES, CHEF
Marcus Samuelsson
Cover of YES, CHEF

YES, CHEF

by Marcus Samuelsson · Random House

5 wks on list

An award-winning chef offers an innovative collection of recipes that emphasize the best in Scandinavian cuisine, including such unique dishes as Gravlax with Mustard Sauce, Swedish Roast Chicken with Spiced Apples, and Fois Gras Ganache, all tested for the home kitchen and accompanied by full-color photographs.

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